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 للامريكان من اصل سوداني معلومات عن "مجمع السفارة الامريكية" في الخرطوم بمناسبة الافتتاح ...
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Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations
Press Packet
for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the
New Embassy Compound in Khartoum, Sudan
Project Overview
June 2010
General Information
• In the last nine years, the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) has completed the construction of 72 new diplomatic facilities and has moved more than 21,000 individuals into safe, secure, and functional facilities.
• OBO has built 27 new facilities on the African continent and 10 projects are in design and construction.
New Embassy Compound
• The New Embassy Compound (NEC) in Khartoum, Sudan brings together, at the same location, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other U.S. government offices.
• The multi-building complex consisting of the Chancery, Office Annex, Marine Security Guard Quarters, compound access control facilities, recreational facility and shops/warehouse occupies a 10-acre site and provides a secure, state-of–the-art, environmentally green facility and a pleasant workplace for approximately 210 employees.
• The chancery building contains a spacious multipurpose room for events, an Information Resource Center with a library of over 800 volumes open to the public, as well as the U.S. Government’s Educational Advising Center in Sudan.
• The design-build contract for the Khartoum NEC was awarded on September 2005 to B.L.
Harbert International, an American firm based in Birmingham, Alabama.
• The project was to be completed in August 2008. However, the contractor’s ability to execute
the project was severely hindered from the outset due to the delays in the clearance of shipping containers and visa approvals. As a result, construction was interrupted twice in
2007, and the contract was terminated in January 2008.
• However, in June 2008, thanks to an improvement in bilateral relations, and the perseverance of the Under Secretary of Management, Patrick F. Kennedy, and the dedication of many individuals in the Department and OBO construction was able to resume.
• The Chancery was substantially complete on March 2, 2010 and the compound was occupied on March 24, 2010.
• The NEC is located in Kilo 10, Soba. The location is off Wad Medani Highway, opposite the Khartoum State Highway Traffic Police Division Headquarters and several kilometers north of Soba Hospital. Soba District of Khartoum is along the Blue Nile in a predominantly commercial area that is and will be the home of other embassy complexes in the future.
• The completion of the NEC in Khartoum reflects the importance of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Sudan, and emphasizes the commitment of the United States to remain engaged with the Sudanese people as they strive to build a peaceful and prosperous society
DESIGN
• With little development in the area comparable in scale, the NEC is intended as an appropriate building benchmark for further development in the area.
• The design focuses on aesthetics and symbolism beyond just meeting the functional, technical, and budget requirements of the scope of work. The project combines American and local culture and craft, technology, sustainability, security, and constructability to create a shared vocabulary for design of all the buildings.
• The Chancery and Office Annex are located adjacent to each other, connected by a covered arcade along with the main entrance facility forming a ceremonial chancery plaza for receiving visitors.
• Special attention was paid to the treatment of façade elements and in the selection of materials. The entry facilities and entrance porticos of the Chancery and Office Annex are articulated and treated in a way to serve as a visual reference point connecting new arrivals to the NEC.
• The entrances to the Chancery and Office Annex are through entrance porticos located on the side of the buildings rather than the front, reminiscent of traditional Islamic architecture and reflecting a transition in the journey from the vitality of the ceremonial chancery plaza to that of the inside.
• The selection of the stone texture and color compliments the desert-like context, while the articulation of the entrance porticos and incorporation of local motifs and the sunscreen treatment reflects native decorative traditions. The cascading masses of the Chancery and Office Annex attempt to emulate the architectural composition evident in local and
regional buildings built in the Sudanese style.
• The Chancery features a lofty interior light-filled, four-story atrium with stone floor and walls. The Chancery and Office Annex lobbies feature stone floor and stone walls with wood panel accents.
• Natural light illuminates the stone-clad Chancery and Office Annex, creating a warm and pleasant workspace for embassy staff.
• The resulting architecture responds to the complex requirements of the embassy design, creating an image that is truly a gateway to the United States and combines an appropriate balance of cordiality and security while representing both Sudanese and U.S. cultures.
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND CONSULAR
• The verdant surroundings and open architecture provide an inviting greeting to visa applicants, and official and non-official visitors.
• The Chancery plaza between the office buildings is generously landscaped to serve as the ceremonial reception area for arriving diplomats, dignitaries and guests.
• The consular arrival promenade, landscaped garden, covered waiting area and well appointed interior create an inviting and comfortable consular section for visa applicants.
SAFETY
• The design of the NEC is shaped by security considerations. The complex is protected by a perimeter wall with a buffer of landscaped grounds between the wall and the outside of the buildings. These features are standard security aspects of all new Department of State embassy and consulate projects.
FACTS
• Project Award: September 2005
• Construction Commenced: March 1, 2006
• Construction Completion: March 2, 2010
• Total Project Cost: Approximately $172 million
• Estimated number of workers who assisted in the construction: Over 500 workers
• Site area: 40,400 square meters (434,861 gross square feet)
• Project area: 15048 gross square meters (161,975 gross square feet) of floor area
• General Construction Contractor: B.L. Harbert International – Birmingham, Alabama
• Architectural Firm: Page Southerland Page – Arlington, Virginia
• Cost of the Contract Award: $133 million
• Need for new embassy:
• In 2001, the Department of State developed a comprehensive plan to replace operationally and functionally inadequate U.S. facilities throughout the world.
• The former embassy was located on Ali Abdel Latif Street, a semi-open public street near the downtown area of Khartoum and the University of Khartoum. While vehicular traffic had been restricted and controlled at both ends of the street by a local guard force, pedestrians could move freely to access commercial and retail establishments adjacent to and across the street from the Chancery. The leased building lacked many of the building systems of modern Class A office space, had few of the now standard security features and did not meet the functional needs of 21st century diplomacy.
• Various other embassy facilities and the offices of USAID were located in several locations in the city and lacked security features and the infrastructure to support modern telecommunications, integrated space planning, and adequate facilities for the growing diplomatic relationship and public outreach programs.
• The NEC incorporates all embassy facilities and functions on one modern, secure compound designed to showcase the U.S. Government’s commitment to excellence in architecture and sustainable design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whether this building is considered comparable to other medium-size embassy buildings in Africa/the world?
The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) has now completed 27 facilities on the African continent, with 10 additional projects under design or construction.
The Khartoum NEC is based on the Standard Embassy Design that OBO uses to facilitate construction world-wide, but has been adapted to the site as well as incorporating U.S. and host country architectural elements.
Who was responsible for the construction and how long did the project take to complete? What firms provided design and construction services?
OBO was responsible for overseeing the construction of the NEC. The design/build team consisted of B.L. Harbert, International of Birmingham, Alabama and was responsible for the overall construction of the project. The designer was Page Southerland Page of Arlington, Virginia.
B.L. Harbert performed the majority of the construction, but also worked with several American, local, and regional companies to provide materials and services for the project.
The contract was awarded in September 2005, with project completion in March of
2010.
What security steps were taken during the building of the NEC?
Construction of a U.S. Government office building in any foreign country involves extensive measures to meet Department of State and Congressionally-mandated security requirements. These include screening of all locally hired personnel working in construction or employed by the embassy.
What will happen to the old Embassy?
The embassy is in the process of decommissioning four U.S. Government office buildings as a result of the move to the NEC. The former chancery on Sharia Ali Abdul Latif will be returned to the landlord and the USAID Annex will be decommissioned by July 1, 2010.
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