Located on the U.S. Embassy’s historic site in Brasília’s Embassy Sector, the new U.S. Embassy will embody the Overseas Buildings Operations’ (OBO) goals for safe, secure, functional, and resilient architecture. The project will honor Brasília’s design history while providing a sustainable and engaging space for the future of U.S.-Brazilian relations. A modern platform for U.S. diplomacy abroad, the Embassy will convey a sense of welcome to all and support interactions between diplomats, staff, and visitors. Designed to respect and celebrate the history of the site and city, the design will retain the historic landscape and original features such as a courtyard designed by the renowned Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx.
Seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor spaces, the project will connect the occupants with both its location within the UNESCO World Heritage site and the natural Cerrado landscape. With its bold structural expression and curvilinear form, the architecture honors Brasília’s modernist legacy while incorporating the latest in building innovation. A concrete exterior interwoven with colorful ceramic tile, the building reflects its modernist heritage and Brazil’s vibrant urban life. Natural light and views flood the interior design, which boasts a vibrant color palette combined with sustainably-sourced wood that celebrates both Brazilian and American modernism. Drawing on the vernacular architecture of Brazil and embracing the local climate, numerous indoor/outdoor spaces will allow users to enjoy the weather year-round and experience the openness of the site. The façade design interprets the Brazilian brise-soleil in a contemporary way by adjusting the depth and angle of the structural concrete fins in response to solar conditions, increasing the building’s energy performance by blocking solar heat gain and glare while maximizing natural light and ventilation.
Serving as a model of environmental stewardship, the new Embassy design incorporates advanced strategies and systems such as photovoltaics, stormwater management, an active HVAC chilled beam system, and locally sourced materials. The landscape design revitalizes the Embassy’s historic gardens and integrates plant species native to the local ecosystem. This regionally-appropriate vegetation also raises awareness of the Cerrado’s biodiversity, subtle beauty, and importance to Brazil’s overall ecological health. The project is designed to achieve LEED® Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council — a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building design and construction strategies and best practices. It has also achieved PROCEL certification, an energy-savings certification mandated for all new Brazilian federal
buildings.