ARCHITECTURE

Evoking mountainous terrain

New York firm SHoP Architects has revealed its design's visualization for the new US Embassy in Honduras, featuring a slanted and curved facade covered in copper-coloured aluminium fins in a diamond-shaped pattern.
25 November, 2018
By submitting the application form for participation in the competition of 2013 in the US foreign service, the Studio SHoP was selected for the project commitment to the spirit and values of the United States.
The design was evoked by the mountainous landscape of the Central American country. The entrance to the building is located on the Northern façade, facing the city and creating a welcoming access to the chancery. Featuring a more solid appearance, the East, West and South faces are closed but maintain openness through the use of glass. Same as the exterior, the interior goes from open and transparent to ceremonious and strict. While the NEC's main body will be a simple rectangular volume, SHoP has given the front a wavy form and earth-toned materiality to draw on Honduras' mountainous terrain.
Image: ArchDaily
The building of the US Embassy takes into account solar shading and thermal regulation rules. To achieve both goals, when constructing the company will implement various systems to reduce the heating of the premises under the scorching sun, but contributing to giving way to natural light. The chosen material palette plays an important role in the tandem of interiors with the outside world, including hard edges made of anodized aluminum with copper coating in the facade, light accents of limestone, richly hued woods and dark stone. SHoP's Architecture and Engineering team used a variety of tools, including virtual reality.

Described by the designers as "a city-within-a-city", the Honduras US Embassy will be constructed on Avenida Los Proceres, replacing the current location on Avenida La Paz. It will include a range of spaces for work, collaboration, lectures and meetings,

"Design challenges were met through a remarkably efficient, highly collaborative process between all parties and we are honoured to be able to represent the United States in this capacity," said SHoP founding partner Chris Sharples in a project statement.

Image: ArchDaily
The NEC is slated to break ground later this year and expected to welcome its first occupants in 2022.

The project is among several that SHoP has designed for the US Department of State's Office of Overseas Building Operations, including another embassy building in Seoul, South Korea.
Banner image: ArchDaily