Embassy of the United States – Part II

Gulf Coast Garden, Structural Columns and Internal Feature Panels

THE CHALLENGE

Structural Columns – throughout the building, structural columns are clad in aluminium after being powder coated in a silver colour.  The challenge here was producing colour matches to samples as supplied by the architects from New York within a specified timescale.

Internal Feature Panels – coating the Internal Feature Panels in the secure vehicular access check point within the embassy grounds. This involved care and attention as they were an intricate design of precision cut patterns.

THE SOLUTION

Structural Columns – with each colour match sample taking up to three weeks to produce including delivery from Europe, the team at Bradleys needed to truly understand the architects vision to avoid any lost time during this stage of the project.

Internal Feature Panels – Bradleys’ experienced operatives coupled with the latest spray gun technology ensured that all areas of the precision cut patterns were evenly coated.

Bradleys also coated a cleverly designed white metal sculpture which represents the Gulf Coast Garden.  The sculpture forms a forest ceiling offering a canopy over the upper section of the staircase and extending out over the break-out/meeting area.

THE DETAIL

The new US Embassy, located in Nine Elms by the River Thames, is believed to be the most expensive embassy in the world and is entirely funded by the sale of other London based US government properties.

The building, designed by Kieran Timberlake, has been awarded a BREEAM Outstanding rating and a LEED Gold rating.  Although not initially apparent, this embassy is the most environmentally friendly, hi-tech and secure building the United States has ever built.

On three sides of the cube shaped building, the façade is made from iridescent ETFE ‘sails’ and the remaining side is glazed.  A gently rising earthen mound leads up to the four-sided colonnade at the base of the building.  The ‘moat’, set out as an ornamental lake, along with the gardens, water features and hedge rows not only ensure security of the embassy but also provide an attractive workplace environment for the embassy staff.

A lot of thought has also gone in to the internal layout.  Bradleys was involved in coating sculptured metalwork for the Pacific Forest Garden.  The trees were coated in a Black Olive colour on the outside and a paler contrast in Oak Moss on the inside which could be seen through the carefully placed cut-outs in the tree trunks.