Design Architect: Miller Hull Partnership
Location: Guatemala City, Guatemala
Completion Date: 2023

In 1999 in an effort to improve embassy security, the U.S. State Department launched its Capital Security Construction Program. Since then the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Overseas Building Operations (OBO) has completed 176 new diplomatic facilities with more stringent safety measures than their 20th-century predecessors, among this is a new U.S. embassy in Guatemala City, Guatemala designed by the Miller Hull Partnership, in collaboration with the OBO. The new embassy in Guatemala City has been relocated from its former location within the city center to a more remote and secure site.

The bulk of the complex is clad in Virginia Mist granite, while a rectangular glass volume, fit with a glazed Brise-soleil, emerges from the top of the structure. Three finishes of granite that vary in terms of color and texture were selected for the facade. Along long spans of site-wall, Miller Hull placed large base stones which narrow as they rise the height of the wall.

The compound was constructed on the site of a former borrow pit, an area from which soil was excavated for use in a neighboring development. The resulting 82-foot grade change necessitated a terraced layout to accommodate the eight-story building. The building acts as a retaining wall with counterfort walls implemented to stabilize soil.

The embassy’s open-outdoor spaces drew inspiration from the architectural forms of the Maya civilization. Mathew Albores, Miller Hull’s project manager for the embassy project, told AN that the site planning was influenced by “the organizational layout of the ceremonial and residential planning of Maya cities that we visited including Tikal, Yaxha, and Copan.” The main chancery building was designed to reference the temple architecture of the Maya. Local-plant species surrounding the base of the building mimic the way ancient temples appear to “rise” out of the canopy.

Wrapping the rectangular glass volume is a Brise-soleil constructed from glazing and stainless steel fittings. Installed perpendicular to the curtain wall, the glass fins form a grid which redirects sunlight to minimize solar-heat gain within the structure. An elaborate solar analysis was conducted to determine the placement and orientation of the fins.

Albores elaborated saying that “Miller Hull was responsible for the overall design and solar analysis of the Brise-soleil,” and in preliminary design phases the firm worked closely with Front “to develop concept details” on how to connect the vertical glass fins to the building and the “staggered horizontal members.” Ultimately, those initial designs were altered, during design development and construction, with the final iterations developed by contractor BL Harbert and architect of record Page and reviewed by the Miller Hull team.

The U.S. embassy project in Guatemala targets a number of high-performance goals. The project is expected to exceed federal performance goals, reducing energy by 26.5 percent compared to a new building. 9 percent of the building’s energy consumption will be produced through the use of solar photovoltaics. Additionally, wastewater treatment will be performed onsite and used to irrigate the campus landscape. Photovoltaic cells are located on the roof of the main chancery building and Green roofs were implemented on adjacent buildings within the complex.

As part of Miller Hull’s EMission Zero program the office committed to offset all project emissions released prior to occupancy. The firm utilized Tally, a life cycle analysis tool to calculate the amount of carbon offsets to be purchased upon completion of each project.

In 2022, Miller Hull purchased 24,264 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent to compensate for the completion of twelve projects. For the U.S. embassy Guatemala City, the carbon impact was calculated to be 41,524 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. The firm purchased 13,841 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent to offset these emissions.

Project Specifications

• Design Architect: The Miller Hull Partnership
• Architect of Record: Page
• Local Architect: Paredes + Aleman
• Contractor: B.L. Harbert International
• Landscape Architect: Knot
• Civil and Structural Engineer: Magnusson Klemencic Associates
• Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing Engineer: Interface Engineers
• Security Consultant: Hinman
• Security Consultant: Thornton Tomasetti
• Interior Design: Integrus
• Signage: Mayer Reed
• Cost Estimating: Morris Wade
• Geotechnical Engineer: Schnabel Engineers
• Landscape Architect of Record: Cowen Design Group
• Civil Engineer of Record: Cowen Design Group
• Structural Engineer of Record: Ehlert-Bryan
• Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing Engineer of Record: Mason & Hanger