PMFORUM Breaking News
Breaking News in the Project Management World
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Design selected for new US Embassy in London
Reported by Miles Shepherd in UK
U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Louis B. Susman, and Acting Director of the U.S. government's Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, Adam Namm, announced on 23 February 2010 that KieranTimberlake of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has won a design competition for the New London Embassy for the United States.
According to a news release from the US State Department, "KieranTimberlake's design met the goal of creating a modern, welcoming, timeless, safe and energy efficient embassy for the 21st century. Their concept most fully satisfied the requirements outlined in the design competition's mission statement. The concept holds the greatest potential for developing a truly iconic embassy and is on the leading edge of sustainable design. KieranTimberlake is an architectural firm known for its commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility."
Image above, artist's rendering, courtesy of US Embassy in London website.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations narrowed the list to nine firms from a list of 37 architectural submissions. A jury of American and British leaders in the fields of architecture, academia and diplomacy selected four firms for the final phase of the competition. The four firms explored the symbolism of the embassy, its presence and position in the cityscape of London. Their goal was to create a building and site complex with a timeless quality to appropriately represent the United States of America in the United Kingdom.
The four competing architectural firms, KieranTimberlake, Morphosis Architects, Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and Richard Meier & Partners, worked for nearly a year and made presentations to the jury which then recommended the winning design.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations and KieranTimberlake will be actively engaged in the consultation and planning process involving the Mayor's office, the Wandsworth Borough Council, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, as well as residents in the area to ensure that the new embassy provides an appropriate home for the United States of America in London.
The anticipated ground breaking on the new US embassy will be in 2013 with a goal to complete the construction in 2017.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Louis B. Susman, and Acting Director of the U.S. government's Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, Adam Namm, announced on 23 February 2010 that KieranTimberlake of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has won a design competition for the New London Embassy for the United States.
Image above, artist's rendering, courtesy of US Embassy in London website.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations narrowed the list to nine firms from a list of 37 architectural submissions. A jury of American and British leaders in the fields of architecture, academia and diplomacy selected four firms for the final phase of the competition. The four firms explored the symbolism of the embassy, its presence and position in the cityscape of London. Their goal was to create a building and site complex with a timeless quality to appropriately represent the United States of America in the United Kingdom.
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations and KieranTimberlake will be actively engaged in the consultation and planning process involving the Mayor's office, the Wandsworth Borough Council, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, as well as residents in the area to ensure that the new embassy provides an appropriate home for the United States of America in London.
The anticipated ground breaking on the new US embassy will be in 2013 with a goal to complete the construction in 2017.