The new U.S. Embassy Guatemala City is in the eastern foothills of the Valle de la Ermita, southeast of the city’s historic center. The new campus supports the continued expansion of U.S.–Guatemalan diplomatic, security, and commercial relations and embodies the mission 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. The new embassy symbolizes the strength of our shared commitment to democracy, human rights, sustainable economic development, and increased cooperation on shared global priorities.
Design & Construction
The campus design is heavily influenced by Guatemalan culture and responds to the site’s steep topography—taking advantage of heavy terracing to help prevent runoff. The office building emerges from the ground plane as a glass tower with a complementary stone base that references Guatemala’s natural material palette. The base, with its use of dark, earthy materials, anchors the building and has a grounded quality that contrasts with the glass tower, which reflects the cool hues of the sky and conveys an airy openness. The courtyard at the center of the chancery serves as an active hub for the community with direct access to a variety of communal spaces, such as the gallery. A large plaza and consular garden to the south of the site provides space for consular visits. Over 2,600 Guatemalan workers were employed during construction.
Resilience & Stewardship
The new embassy employs rigorous energy-saving and sustainability strategies to reduce environmental impact, optimize building performance, and enhance self-sufficiency. Energy consumption is reduced by over 30 percent with photovoltaics providing over ten percent of the chancery’s energy. An on-site wastewater treatment plant means irrigation and cooling tower replenishment will not use potable water. The site design provides for significant areas of forest and native vegetation—creating a link to nearby green spaces, promoting the local ecosystem, supporting wildlife and habitat growth, and reducing the amount of water needed to maintain the landscape. The project is registered with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®), a global green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices, and is projected to achieve Silver certification.
Art
The permanent art collection, curated by OBO’s Office of Art in Embassies, includes paintings, works on paper, fiber art, and sculpture by U.S., Guatemalan, and Guatemalan-U.S. artists. Together, these diverse perspectives create a dialogue of shared values between the people of both countries. A focal point of the collection is U.S. artist John Grade’s Espejo. Inspired by a Great Basin bristlecone pine growing at high altitude in the United States and a ceiba tree growing near Guatemala City, and carved from salvaged Alaskan Yellow Cedar, the sculpture is nestled into the building’s three-story atrium. Around the corner from the atrium is Guatemalan artist Diana de Solares’ three-dimensional mural Everything is Waiting for You. Crafted from found materials reclaimed from the embassy construction site, the 11-foot assemblage reflects the artist’s ongoing interest in space, architecture, and the perception of sight. Guatemalan-born Diego Olivero’s double-height fiber installation, Geometria Universal, greets visitors to the consular waiting room. The piece represents collaboration in three different stages: Olivero’s conception and design; the spinning and dying of the wool in Momostenango; and the weaving by Creamos Guatemala, a women-focused empowerment initiative in Guatemala City.