Rendering showing view of building elevation from the north-west.

The United States and Mexico have a consequential bilateral relationship, directly impacting the everyday lives of millions of U.S. and Mexican citizens, whether through trade, joint security, or tourism. Within similar timeframes, the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations has undertaken five major builds across Mexico: four new consulate facilities in Hermosillo, Guadalajara, Merida, and Nogales, and a new embassy in Mexico City. 

Among the Mission Mexico new facilities, the new U.S. Embassy Mexico City is an important physical representation of the long-term commitment to the U.S.- Mexico relationship and a permanent presence. In 1961, the United States established its first embassy in Mexico City, highlighting the strategic importance of its location in one of the world’s largest and most populous cities. As the political and economic capital of Mexico, Mexico City served as a crucial hub for diplomatic engagement between the two nations. The new U.S. Embassy Mexico City will be the epicenter of the U.S. Mission in Mexico and a regional hub for Latin American co-operation. 

Project Overview

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects / Davis Brody Bond Architects

Architect

Caddell Construction

General Contractor

8.5 acres

Site Size

$943 million

Project Budget

$310 million

Estimated Local Investment

The new U.S. Embassy Mexico City will serve the U.S. and Mexican public, support staff in the important work they do everyday, and advance sustainability and resilience goals to ensure performance for years to come.

This embassy will consolidate over 530,000 square feet of diplomatic operations, bringing together over 1,400 staff previously spread across multiple sites in the city. These staff will be supported by innovative technology systems to work efficiently.

The brownfield site, previously industrial land occupied by a Colgate-Palmolive factory, has been safely remediated for reuse.

Rendering of consular entry at the new U.S. embassy in Mexico City.

Design

OBO embassies and consulates often are the first experience host country citizens and government officials have with the United States overseas and the new embassy will streamline the flow of visitors with an expanded consular space, including 81 additional consular windows.

To ease traffic impact, the embassy features discrete entrances for various functions. To the north, one entrance accommodates the large number of consular visitors and another welcomes visitors to the Benjamin Franklin Center. The design allows visitors to enter the campus to wait for appointments in the plaza or waiting rooms. 

The building’s seven floors include two below-grade levels that balance its size without sacrificing usable space. These floors take advantage of sunken courtyards that provide views to nature and plentiful natural light.

Designed around a large, semi-covered, open-air courtyard, the embassy’s extensive outdoor space enhances opportunities for events and collaboration. 

By incorporating the Benjamin Franklin Center on-site, the embassy has a flexible programming space to conduct a broad range of public engagement activities that will enhance connections between the people of United States and Mexico. 

  

Interior rendering of consular waiting area at the new U.S. embassy Mexico City.

Construction

An estimated total work force of 2,500 U.S., Mexican and third-country nationals were engaged in the construction of the new embassy of which 1,800 will be local. Nearly 225 million USD was spent locally on materials and service related to the project’s construction. 

Rendering of the main exterior courtyard at the new U.S. embassy Mexico City.

Rendering of the interior courtyard at the new U.S. embassy in Mexico City

Building Performance

The new complex incorporates rigorous sustainability and energy-saving goals to reduce environmental impact, optimize building performance, and enhance resiliency.  

A strong emphasis was placed on water–use reduction and re-use to protect the city’s endangered groundwater aquifer. Not only is all rainwater harvested and stored on site, but the facility is also connected to the municipal reclaimed water system to support the building’s cooling system, irrigation, and toilet flushing. Large, underground storage tanks collect rainwater or fresh, treated water to guarantee a constant flow of water regardless of season. Local species adapted to the city’s climate and the seasonal rainfalls are planted throughout. Solar panels can produce over ten percent of power needs.  

The project is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) green building rating system and is projected to earn LEED® Gold certification. 

Renderings by DBB/TWBTA.
For further information, please contact OBOExternalAffairs@state.gov