Where two countries meet in spirit and culture | Print Edition

Stately facade and welcoming air: A view of the brand new US Embassy constructing. Pic courtesy US Embassy

In 2010, the US State Division’s Bureau of Abroad Buildings Operations launched a programme to overtake the architectural designs of their diplomatic buildings all over the world, making an attempt to give attention to extra considerate design. The Design Excellence programme moved away from closely fortified buildings that largely lacked individuality towards extra welcoming but stately designs that have been nonetheless safe.

The end result? Twelve years later,  this week the US Embassy in Colombo opened its model new constructing designed to mirror American values whereas respecting the tradition of its host nation, Sri Lanka. The modern construction designed by the American agency ZGF Architects locations a big emphasis on sustainable design, as mirrored within the agency’s personal philosophy. “The Embassy compound epitomises the enduring friendship between the US and Sri Lanka. We’re dedicated to environmental management and sustainable design and development,” says Ambassador Julie Chung.

Principal architect Peter van der Meulen

“Embassies are by nature iconic, regardless of the design due to what they characterize, significantly for the US. In a rustic like Sri Lanka, it’s so necessary as a result of it’s actually the view into native tradition so we would like it to be stately,” says Peter van der Meulen, the principal architect behind the design, in a Zoom interview with the Sunday Instances.  “We don’t significantly need it to face out per se. We wish it to be welcoming and so for this challenge, we seemed as we do for many initiatives in overseas nations, we search for clues from the native tradition. As it is a tropical setting, the structure of a few of these which are well-known from Sri Lanka, essentially the most well-known being Geoffrey Bawa in fact.”

Taking cues from Lankan architects akin to Bawa, whose Tropical Modernism type takes into consideration the weather of a tropical island, the general design was purposefully made to mirror easy type and features a high-performance facade akin to using broad overhangs on every flooring stage to shade the solar and supply cowl from rainfall. Restful areas are offered inside the constructing and outside areas are current within the type of terraces and gardens.

The panorama is utilised to the absolute best benefit by means of timber that present shade and cover and mirror the ecology of the island. Domestically sourced pure stone and wooden reference the area’s wealthy materials palette and the inside incorporates textures and patterns impressed by native tradition and artwork.

“It’s an actual honour for us to simply have the chance to design one thing of substance out of the country.  This challenge, like many initiatives, advanced as we developed. We had to determine how one can create half of the brand new compound, leaving half of the present one in place,” says Vandermeulen, referring to the still-existing outdated embassy constructing that’s but to be totally demolished.

The brand new sustainable design reduces vitality prices and greenhouse-gas emissions and augments renewable vitality utilization. A climate-responsive shell protects the inside from photo voltaic warmth achieve and photo-voltaic cells offset roughly 11 per cent of annual vitality expenditure. An on-site wastewater remedy plant permits for gray water to be handled and recycled for irrigation. The challenge is registered with Management in Vitality and Environmental Design (LEED) – a world inexperienced constructing certification that recognises best-in-class constructing methods and practices – and is on the monitor to realize Silver certification.

The open areas – not usually typical of embassies or consulates which serve each aesthetic and practical functions are enhanced by the artwork assortment curated by the Workplace of Artwork which incorporates work, pictures, textiles and sculptures by each US and Sri Lankan artists, reflecting the range and richness of each the US and Sri Lankan ecology and cultural heritage.

The brand new compound homes the American Middle which was opened to the general public in late September and hosts library patrons, youth discussion board members and different programmes. “It’s actually an area for collaborative studying and digital engagement.  So, we’ll proceed to have media literacy, Science, Expertise, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) occasions. All these occasions are free.  There is no such thing as a value to any participant,” notes the Ambassador. “Now we have additionally carried out many dialogue periods right here already, for instance on youth participation in democracy. We need to symbolize an change of free and open concepts right here in
Sri Lanka.”

“It’s not simply the US Embassy, it’s the US Embassy in Sri Lanka. We need to ensure our spirit displays that,” she affirms.