US Embassy Bahamas

The United States Embassy in Nassau, Bahamas, represents and advocates for the government of the United States in the Bahamas and provides information and assistance for American citizens living and visiting there. The project ensures the embassy campus meets the government requirements for security and protection, while also presenting a welcoming image of the United States that reflects the character of the host country and maintains safety and security requirements.

The new Embassy Nassau campus will be built on a narrow, five-acre parcel in City Center on New Providence Island in Nassau. Tourism is the largest driver of economic activity in Nassau and tourists visiting popular attractions in the area will pass around the site. The project consists of design and construction of a new office building, staff housing, and supporting buildings with shops, vehicle maintenance, warehouse, and motor pool. The project includes surface parking, as well as below-grade structured parking. The narrow site contained existing structures and an uninhabited operational structure, which will be demolished.

The Chancery is a modern office building with unique requirements for security. The design responds to and fulfills the specialized needs of the tenants and the government requirements, while also taking care to respond to the contextual architecture of Nassau and New Providence Island. The design is strongly influenced by Traditional Bahamian Architecture that is typically low in scale and responds to the semi-tropical climate with ample shading provided by verandas, shutters, and louvers. These elements are used to provide comfortable and private outdoor spaces that allow breezes through yet are protected from the sun and rain. Other elements include cut stone from native limestone and wood from native hardwoods. Elevated first floors to encourage ventilation and elevate occupants above the insects are also representative of Bahamian style and the design tips its hat to this in the way the building mass is composed with a “veranda” on the upper levels.

Civil design included site layout horizontal control and grading of the site, which varied by over 30 feet across the site. Perimeter site security was coordinated with the US State Department, Integrus Architecture, and structural engineer. Coffman designed all of the site utility systems: storm water, sanitary sewer, domestic water, fire sprinkler water, fuel piping and dry utility duct banks. Both the storm water and sanitary sewer systems required lift stations and force mains. On-site stormwater disposal involved recharge wells per local common practice. Coffman coordinated the design of the on-site water treatment system as well as the on-site wastewater treatment plant with Esvelt Environmental Engineering. Coffman coordinated with local authorities on the permitting for this project, which included right-of-way stormwater and sitework improvements. Design also included a drinking water treatment system from a ground water source that included pre-filtration, multi-media filtration, softening, carbon contact vessels, reverse osmosis membrane desalination, disinfection, and corrosion control.

Renderings provided by: Integrus Architecture