The U.S. Embassy celebrated the legacy of Chancery Building designed by Walter Gropius, one of the leading architects of the 20th century, at a small ceremony featuring a presentation by renowned Greek architect Alexandros Samaras. The presentation highlighted the modern, functional and democratic design of the building, inspired by the ancient Greek temples. As Ambassador Smith noted in his welcome remarks "We celebrate the historic value of the Chancery of the U.S. Embassy in Athens as a tribute to the democratic ideals Greece and the United States both share."