 The United States Institute of Peace Headquarters houses staff offices and other facilities for the government @-@ funded think tank focused on peacemaking and conflict avoidance . The building is the first permanent home for the United States Institute of Peace ( USIP ) , established in 1984 . The headquarters is sited on a prominent location near the National Mall and Potomac River in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington , D.C. The environmentally friendly building , noted for its unique roof , was designed by architect Moshe Safdie and completed in 2011 . Critics ' reviews of the building 's design have been mixed . 
