The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) has recently opened the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. The design by Ennead Architects aims to balance transparency and openness with security, according to a press statement. The design also seeks both to honor Turkey’s architectural traditions and to meet OBO’s goals of sustainability, resiliency, and stewardship.
“By reinterpreting Turkish design history in a contemporary way, we’re proud to deliver a civic-minded and purpose-driven facility that reflects U.S. values of transparency, openness, and accessibility,” Felicia Berger, Ennead principal and project manager, said in the statement.
On the sloped, nine-acre site, the project’s series of courtyards draws inspiration from Turkish courtyard design. The inclined procession eliminates the need for stairs, creating a direct path from the public way to the front door.
The Embassy’s main arrival plaza serves as the first courtyard. Set back from the street, the landscaped courtyard, with trees and other plants, blurs the boundary between the Embassy and the city, while offering a respite from the surrounding business district.
Internal courtyards bring light into the building. They also create outdoor spaces for both large, formal gatherings and quieter diplomatic exchange.
Ennead selected regionally sourced materials that reflect the history of masonry in Turkey. Materials also were chosen for their low embodied environmental impact, high recycled content, durability, and responsible sourcing. In addition to stone, the Chancery façade’s concrete screen offers daylight and views of the outside, and security and privacy on the inside. Referencing Turkish materials, the interior and exterior incorporate marble, travertines, native wood varieties, and local ceramics.
The Embassy is a LEED Silver Certified building. Energy demand is reduced with highly insulated exterior walls; efficient mechanical, electrical, and lighting systems; and solar thermal water heating. Water consumption is minimized with ultra-low flow plumbing fixtures, climate-appropriate landscaping, and harvested rainwater.
On the Building Team:
Owner/developer: Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO)
Design architect and architect of record: Ennead Architects
Local architect: Emre Arolat Architecture
MEP engineer: Mason & Hanger
Structural engineer: LERA
Protective design engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
General contractor: B.L. Harbert International
Related Stories
| Aug 26, 2013
13 must-attend continuing education sessions at BUILDINGChicago
Building Design+Construction's new conference and expo, BUILDINGChicago, kicks off in two weeks. The three-day event will feature more than 65 AIA CES and GBCI accredited sessions, on everything from building information modeling and post-occupancy evaluations to net-zero projects and LEED training. Here are 13 sessions I'm planning to attend.
| Aug 22, 2013
Energy-efficient glazing technology [AIA Course]
This course discuses the latest technological advances in glazing, which make possible ever more efficient enclosures with ever greater glazed area.
| Aug 22, 2013
6 visionary strategies for local government projects
Civic projects in Boston, Las Vegas, Austin, and suburban Atlanta show that a ‘big vision’ can also be a spur to neighborhood revitalization. Here are six visionary strategies for local government projects.
| Aug 20, 2013
Code amendment in Dallas would limit building exterior reflectivity
The Dallas City Council is expected to vote soon on a proposed code amendment that would limit a building’s exterior reflectivity of “visible light” to 15%.
| Aug 14, 2013
Green Building Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Building Design+Construction's rankings of the nation's largest green design and construction firms.
| Aug 14, 2013
Military Construction Report [2013 Giants 300 Report]
Building Design+Construction's rankings of the nation's largest military sector design and construction firms, as reported in the 2013 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 12, 2013
Decade-long renovation of Kansas Capitol Building expected to be complete by year end
A $300 million-plus, decade-long renovation of the Kansas Capitol Building in Topeka is expected to be complete by the end of the year. The exterior refurbishing of copper over the four imposing wings and around the dome should be complete by late November.
| Aug 6, 2013
Sarabjit Singh named President of ITSI Gilbane and Gilbane Global
Gilbane Building Company announced today the appointment of Sarabjit Singh, P.E. as the new president of ITSI Gilbane (soon to be Gilbane Federal) and Gilbane Global, subsidiaries of Gilbane Building Company.
| Aug 6, 2013
CoreNet: Office space per worker shrinks to 150 sf
The average amount of space per office worker globally has dropped to 150 square feet or less, from 225 square feet in 2010, according to a recent global survey conducted by CoreNet Global.
| Jul 30, 2013
In support of workplace chatter
As the designers of collaborative work environments, architects and engineers understand how open, transparent spaces can cultivate the casual interaction and knowledge sharing that sparks innovation. Now a new study reveals another potential benefit of open workplaces: social interaction that supports happier employees.
