UNITED STATES EMBASSY BRASÍLIA

“An embassy is a symbol of the relationship between peoples and countries. Sixty years after the completion of the original chancery building, this new embassy building, built on the same location within the heart of Brasília, renews that commitment to our relationship. It honors our past accomplishments together while serving as a symbol to reinforce the shared ideals and goals of our nations. The new building also celebrates the history and unique aesthetic of the city of Brasília, while bringing a fresh perspective of what an embassy can be. I am particularly pleased with how the building will enhance and reflect the visual characteristics of Brasília while also representing inclusion, community, openness, and sustainability—values our two nations share.”

Douglas Koneff

Chargé d’Affaires Ad Interim

U.S. Embassy Brasília

November 2022

Map of Brazil, highlighting its major cities and waterways. The federal capital, Brasília, is the sole major city located near the center of the country.

Foreword Diplomacy with Deep Foundations

When Brazil announced its independence in 1822, the United States was the first to recognize the new nation. Today, the countries enjoy a strong and growing partnership, anchored by the U.S. Embassy in Brasília and four consulates general across the country.

Positioned in the heart of Brazil’s federal capital, the embassy supports a rich and open dialogue on issues ranging from economic growth and prosperity to educational access, global health, and climate change. Sharing space with twelve U.S. federal departments and working with over 10,000 consular visitors annually, the embassy is an important part of the United States’ work across South America.

The 12-acre site is prominently located at the entrance to the Southern Embassy Sector, close to the ceremonial Monumental Axis that organizes Brasília. With its renowned modernist urban plan, architecture, and landscapes, the city—a UNESCO World Heritage site—provides an extraordinary cultural context in which to design a platform for strong relationships among people and governments.

In 2016, the U.S. Department of State Overseas Building Operations (OBO) commissioned architect Studio Gang and landscape architect OLIN to design a new embassy in Brasília that builds on the legacy of this remarkable place and expands on the deep foundations of Brazilian-U.S. diplomacy. With its bold structural expression, curving form, and open, welcoming gesture to the city beyond, the new campus design honors the daring modernist history of Brasília and its original designers. By bringing the latest in building innovation and a contemporary ecological perspective to the World Heritage city, it simultaneously aims to catalyze a more mutually beneficial future for the two nations, as well as the planet we all share.