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 State’s 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 consulate complex in Nogales is an important physical representation of the long-term commitment to the U.S.- Mexico relationship and a permanent presence.
Established as a U.S. Consular Agency in 1884 and later upgraded to a consulate in 1889, Nogales has played a significant role in facilitating diplomatic relations. Its growth into a bustling factory town, fueled by maquiladora factories assembling US-made parts, has contributed to economic prosperity and employment opportunities on both sides of the border. Additionally, Nogales serves as a major border crossing for U.S. citizens traveling south into Mexico and to Pacific beaches year-round. Nogales and its environs continue to provide an exciting vision for Mexico’s future: a strong regional partner with robust cultural and interpersonal ties presenting extensive opportunities for U.S. investment.
Project Overview
Ennead Architects
Design Architect
Page
Architect of Record
BL Harbert International
Design/Build Contractor
8.4 acres
Site Size
$203 million
Project Budget
$70 million
Estimated Local Investment
The Nogales landscape is defined by the surrounding hills of desert pine-oak grasslands, which the site design brings back into the developed section of the city.
By restoring the relationship between the landscape and its greater habitat, the project will be a steward of the environment and integrate the diplomatic community into greater Nogales. Strongly influenced by the shared culture of the border area, the architecture draws inspiration from the local material palette, including stone and wood, and traditional building techniques like the ramada.
Design
OBO embassies and consulates often are the first experience host country citizens and government officials have with the United States overseas. The expanded and improved Consular Section will accommodate the large number of visitors the staff assists throughout the year. A consular entry pavilion will ease access to the site, while the large waiting room and shaded garden areas will provide a variety of comfortable spaces for visitors.
The modern ramada canopies shade and protect the building’s outdoor spaces, replacing the traditional thatched roof structure with lightweight laser-cut aluminum panels.
The façade is primarily clad in stacked regional stone, which keeps solar heat gain to a minimum by acting as a heat sink.
The site and building take advantage of outside spaces for meeting and event opportunities. The gallery will provide space for the Consulate community to host internal and public meetings or events; direct access to the terrace yields views over the city and its environs.
Sustainability
The design of the new Consulate will include a variety of energy-efficiency strategies including solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays, stormwater retention and infiltration, and local or regionally-adapted plantings. The adapted ramada awnings and the efficient exterior envelope will reduce solar heat gain and reduce the demand on the cooling system in the harsh desert climate. The project targets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.
Art
The permanent art collection curated by OBO’s Office of Art in Embassies includes art in a variety of media, including painting, photography, ceramics, textile and sculpture by both U.S. and Mexican artists. Site specific commissions reflect an understanding of the diversity, richness, and often interconnectedness of U.S. and Mexican, and Mexican-American cultural heritage. The collection and commissions, as is the goal with all OBO art installations, will seek to create a dialogue of shared values between the people of the United States and Mexico.
