Innovative US Embassy plans released
US Ambassador Louis Susman has unveiled plans for a revolutionary new American $1 billion embassy office building in London, to be completed by 2016.
The new embassy will be situated on the south bank of the Thames River and will be a geometric, energy efficient glass cube design. The high-tech structure will relocate the embassy from Grosvenor Square in central London to Nine Elms near Battersea.
Security is a key feature of any embassy office building and the new US offices will be protected by a 100ft semi-circular moat and sit atop an elevated mound, nodding to the European architectural tradition of castles as the ultimate in high-security builds.
The new cube embassy will be anything but archaic. A sculptural glass box structure will be a stark departure from the concrete stalwart of its former incarnation, representing a new era of openness.
In cutting edge eco-innovation, photovoltaic cells are planned to house the structure, shading the interior offices and converting solar rays into power.
The development will be part of a greener area, with parks planned for the surrounding land to separate the build from the main road and potential car bomb threats. This will add further security, a vital measure after concerns were raised by residents around the Mayfair embassy following fears for their safety after the September 11 attacks.
The architects to be heading the project are Philadelphia-based Kieran Timberlake, who triumphed over competing plans from a shortlist of prestigious architectural designers.