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Following public consultation, the renovation and conversion of the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London, received conditional planning permission on Tuesday. David Chipperfield Architects will convert the iconic mid-twentieth century building, designed by Eero Saarinen, into a 137-room hotel with additional restaurants, retail and events space. The transformation centres around the preservation of the Modernist design while offering an accessible plan for its new purpose. All security measures and defensive characteristics will be removed, allowing the building to reconnect with the public realm of Grosvenor Square. The West side of the building will reopen the street, further reintegrating the site to its Mayfair surroundings. A vertically extended storey with a pavilion above will form a new crown for the building, and the landmark gilded eagle will remain on the façade. The project is expected to go on site following the embassy’s move to Nine Elms.