Situated on a 10.5-acre site in the city of Al Khobar, the new U.S. Consulate General Dhahran supports the continued expansion of U.S.–Saudi Arabian diplomatic, security, and commercial relations and embodies the mission of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) to provide safe, secure, functional, and resilient facilities that ensure a robust platform for U.S. diplomacy abroad. The project’s sustainable design, construction, and operations represent the best of U.S. architecture, engineering, and construction execution. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP was the architect, and Caddell Construction Company, LLC was the general contractor. Roughly $95 million has been invested in the local economy throughout the project.
Design & Construction
The new consulate general campus takes inspiration from the local, historic towns that feature a dense clustering of structures separated by narrow streets or courtyards. Drawing on the region’s vernacular architecture, the office building’s central section features a window wall system that provides shade to reduce heat gain and eliminate glare while also providing daylight for interior spaces. Wind towers, or malqaf, are included in outdoor spaces to harness natural ventilation and enhance the comfort and usability of outdoor courtyards. A workforce of roughly 800 U.S., Saudi Arabian, and third-country nationals were employed during construction.
Resilience & Stewardship
The compact arrangement of buildings with low surface-to-volume ratios, high thermal mass, mutual shading, and fully protected window openings enhances the energy performance of the campus. LED lighting and demand-controlled ventilation will further improve energy efficiency. The buildings’ east-to-west orientation reduces solar exposure on the façades and effectively minimizes internal heat gain. 100 percent of wastewater and water from approved non-potable sources is treated and reused on-site. The project is certified Silver by U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) program—a global green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices.
Art
The permanent art collection, curated by OBO’s Office of Art in Embassies, includes art in a variety of media, including painting, photography, textile, and sculpture by both U.S. and Saudi Arabian artists. The collection seeks to create a dialogue of shared values between the people of our two countries. Highlights include site-specific commissions by Saudi Arabian artist Manal Al Dowayan, and American artists Anne Lindberg and Sebastien Courty and reflect an understanding of the diversity and richness of U.S. and Saudi Arabian culture.