500,000 SF • 46,450 SQ M • LEED GOLD
Mason & Hanger provided Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Life Safety, Fire Alarm, Telecom, Technical Security, and Energy and Sustainability Design services for the Department of State Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) to design a New Embassy Compound (NEC) reflective of Indonesia’s growing importance on the international stage. The NEC was constructed by B.L. Harbert International of Birmingham, Alabama and designed by Davis Brody Bond Architects and Planners from New York, New York. The Architect of Record was Page.
In addition to the U.S. diplomatic mission to Indonesia, the NEC houses the U.S. Ambassador to the ASEAN trade federation, USAID, the Foreign Commercial Service, and a branch of the Library of Congress.
The NEC is one of the first examples of the Department of State’s renewed commitment to Design Excellence, and its open, permeable facades are a major departure from the closed and fortress-like character of many preceding embassies. Instead of forbidding masonry and concrete façades, the new embassy employs expanses of blast-resistant glazing animated by slender sunshades inspired by patterns of Indonesian textiles. To mitigate the impact of perimeter security on the host city, the Embassy uses a carefully designed sequence of planted setbacks, low knee walls and terraces, ornamental fencing, and water features.
The project includes a 330,000 sf Chancery, structured parking for 400 vehicles, utility annexes, a Marine Guard residence, and three entry pavilions. The Chancery accommodates diplomatic offices and significant representational spaces for the public, including a library and resource center, a major event room, and Consular Services. Staff areas feature a double-height gallery for dining and gathering.
The Chancery’s form and orientation reduce its solar exposure, which is further tuned by eight-story solar screens across the main façades. Upper level terraces, shaded from sun by the screen wall, provide direct access from the workplace to exterior gardens. Extensive landscaping saves the existing large trees and reconstructs a historic residence on the site as a garden pavilion. To mediate the impact of the region’s powerful deluges, linear rills of boulders and stones collect rainwater into bio-filtration gardens.
The project received LEED Gold certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) for its innovative sustainable strategies.
The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building program certifies the design, construction, maintenance and operations of high-performance, sustainable projects and communities around the world.
The new Embassy applied a holistic approach to environmental responsibility. Multiple energy-saving features enhance its performance, including the use of high-efficiency chillers, low-flow toilet fixtures, and efficient lighting solutions. Wastewater will be treated on-site, recycled, and re-used for irrigation, lessening the burden on the city’s utility systems. In addition, energy consumption is reduced by limiting the building’s exposure to solar heat gain through its north-south orientation and use of exterior metal sunshades.
The Embassy in Jakarta was completed in 2019 and joins 52 U.S. diplomatic missions worldwide that have achieved LEED, two prestigious Platinum certifications, 18 Gold certifications, and 32 Silver or LEED-certified missions.
Since the start of the Department’s Capital Security Construction Program in 1999, OBO has completed 167 new diplomatic facilities. OBO currently has more than 50 active projects either in design or under construction worldwide.
OBO provides safe, secure, functional, and resilient facilities that represent the U.S. government to the host nation and that support U.S. diplomats in advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives abroad.
Design Architect: Davis Brody Bond Architects
Architect of Record: Page
Contractor: BL Harbert International
Images courtesy of OBO
