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Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations
 
 
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The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (S/OBO) is an agency of the United States Department of State
United States Department of State

The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the United States Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States Federal government of the United States, similar to foreign ministries, foreign offices, ministries of external relations, etc....
 charged with constructing, purchasing, and maintaining building
Building

In architecture, construction, engineering and Real estate developer the word building may refer to one of the following:# Any man-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy, or...
s and real estate
Real estate

Real estate is a law term that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings, specifically property that is fixed in location. in other countries. It is responsible for building and maintaining U.S. diplomatic mission facilities, including embassies and consulate buildings.

The organization was founded as the Office of Foreign Building Operations (FBO).






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The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (S/OBO) is an agency of the United States Department of State
United States Department of State

The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the United States Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States Federal government of the United States, similar to foreign ministries, foreign offices, ministries of external relations, etc....
 charged with constructing, purchasing, and maintaining building
Building

In architecture, construction, engineering and Real estate developer the word building may refer to one of the following:# Any man-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy, or...
s and real estate
Real estate

Real estate is a law term that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings, specifically property that is fixed in location. in other countries. It is responsible for building and maintaining U.S. diplomatic mission facilities, including embassies and consulate buildings.

The organization was founded as the Office of Foreign Building Operations (FBO). In the 1950s, it achieved a high profile by hiring well-known modernist
Modern architecture

Modern architecture is a set of building styles with similar characteristics, primarily the simplification of form and the elimination of Ornament ....
 architects like Ralph Rapson
Ralph Rapson

Ralph Rapson was one of the world's oldest practicing architects at his death at age 93, and also one of the most prolific....
, Harrison & Abramovitz, and Gordon Bunshaft
Gordon Bunshaft

Gordon Bunshaft was a 20th century architect educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Born in Buffalo, New York where he attended Lafayette High School , an architecturally significant building, Bunshaft was a modern architecture whose early influences included Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier....
. In the wake of the 1983 United States Embassy bombing
1983 United States Embassy bombing

The 1983 U.S. Embassy bombing was a suicide bombing against the United States Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon on April 18, 1983 that killed over 60 people, mostly embassy staff members and U.S....
 in Beirut
Beirut

Beirut is the Capital and largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2.1 million as of 2007. Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's coastline with the Mediterranean sea, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport and also forms the Beirut District area, which consists of the city and its suburbs....
 and the 1998 United States embassy bombings
1998 United States embassy bombings

In the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings , hundreds of people were killed in simultaneous car bomb explosions at the United States embassy in the East African capital cities of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya....
 in Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre....
 and Nairobi
Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital city and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi Province. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai language phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters"....
, its focus has shifted from aesthetics
Aesthetics

Aesthetics or esthetics is commonly known as the study of senses or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste ....
 to security.

In 2001 the Bureau was given its current name when it was upgraded to Bureau level within the Department.

As of 2005, the Bureau's director is Charles E. Williams, a retired United States Army
United States Army

The United States Army is the branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for Army operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S....
 major general
Major general (United States)

In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a 2 star rank general officer rank, with the U.S....
.

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