Building an international relationship is a lot like building a house, according to the outgoing Secretary of State. During the Council on Foreign Relations stop of her farewell tour, Hillary Clinton urged that our diplomatic approach get a little less Greek — that is, resting on a limited number of old-school pillars like NATO and the UN, à la the Parthenon — and get a little more Frank Gehry.

“Some of his work at first might appear haphazard, but in fact, it’s highly intentional and sophisticated,” Clinton said yesterday. “Where once a few strong columns could hold up the weight of the world, today we need a dynamic mix of materials and structures.” With a little variation, she stressed — cooperation with the G-20 during the financial crisis, for example, or with Turkey on counterterrorism — the architecture of diplomacy could vastly improve. While many are chasing the Bilbao Effect, it’s the Santa Monica Residence she’s after.  [Politico]

— Janelle Zara

Tags: Frank Gehry, Janelle Zara, Metaphors, News