The United States, the first country to establish an embassy in Brasília, will have a new diplomatic representation headquarters from 2030. At a cost of US$623 million (approximately R$3.5 billion), the construction is one of the largest works in progress in the federal sector. capital.
For Luke Ortega, spokesman for the United States Embassy in Brazil, the new building symbolizes the relationship between the two countries and renews the commitment to bilateral relations.
“The relationship with Brazil is solid, but it is also always evolving. Our aim with this new embassy project is to create a diplomatic establishment that is commensurate with the importance of this relationship. For example, here in Brazil, we have the sixth The United States has the largest diplomatic mission in the world”, he says.
10 thousand new direct and indirect jobs will be created, including the construction of the new US Consulate in Rio de Janeiro. In Brasília alone, the investment is estimated to have a local impact of US$185 million (R$1 billion).
About 230 workers pass through the construction site every day (except Sundays) from 6 am to 6 pm to construct the new structure. The workforce is composed primarily of Brazilians, but also includes Americans and Turks. Soon, it will reach a peak of 400 active people.
Today he is in charge of the foundation phase of the main building, which will house the Chancellor. With beams installed at a depth of 29 metres, it is expected that construction will begin moving off the ground within eight months.
Preparation also includes replicating a portion of the facility to ensure that the project will be executed well in the future. It is expected that this building, with approximately 22 thousand square meters and the capacity to accommodate more than 450 employees, will be ready in 2028.
After this, there will be approximately two more years of work, when the existing embassy facilities will be demolished and made way for a new leisure area with a swimming pool and sports courts and accommodation for maritime security forces.
The 50,000 square meter plot of land located adjacent to the Esplanada dos Ministerios will also house a new consular services area, with 40% more capacity to meet the high demand for visas to the United States from Brazilians.
“For example, we issued 1.1 million visas last year and we hope to break that record this year. So, we are already planning for the future. We are expanding the consular interview window with this new work.” Let’s also improve conditions for customers, with more ease of parking”, says Ortega.
The new embassy project seeks to reflect the aesthetics of Brasília by using concrete as structural and finishing material in a reinterpretation of the works of Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.
The architecture of the new Chancellery prefers technologies and strategies that bring greater thermal comfort to the environment, given that the federal capital receives bright and direct sunlight throughout the year.
By adjusting the size and angles of walls and windows, the proposal provides shade and maximizes environmental performance. The curved shape helps in creating patios and outdoor rooms. In the cladding, Portuguese tiles bring colour, contrast and tie in with the geometric play of the main building façade.
A commitment to the environment also guides the structure of the new embassy. Solar panels will be installed on the roof, which will save electricity consumption. Photovoltaic capacity will produce 25% of the new Chancellery’s energy needs.
The building will also contain cisterns to store rainwater for irrigation of gardens during the dry season in Brasília from May to September, and also provide for the re-use of “grey water” (waste water excluding clean sewage). Will go.
On land, the original landscape will be reintroduced, with plants typical of the Cerrado. There are also plans to transplant 92 trees that were at the embassy and move them to the Brasília Country Club while work on the new headquarters is underway.
The courtyard garden will be restored to fully reflect the landscaping concept designed by Roberto Burle Marx in the 1960s, with cobogo walls (hollow blocks), water features and tropical plants making up the design of the outdoor venue.
The architectural project was designed by Chicago’s Studio Gang, and the work is in partnership with Brazilian office Atria. The engineering company responsible for this work is American Caddell Construction.
