The official ground-breaking ceremony for the new US Embassy took place today in Nine Elms on the South Bank
Published on
November 13, 2013
Leader of Wandsworth Council and Co-Chair of the Nine Elms Vauxhall Partnership, Councillor Ravi Govindia and U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Matthew W. Barzun officially broke ground on the new American Embassy in London today (Wednesday).
The new Embassy, designed by Kieran Timberlake, is now being built close to the Thames riverside in Nine Elms on the South Bank.
The complex is expected to open for business in 2017 when the ambassador and his staff will move to Nine Elms from Belgravia.
Cllr Govindia said: “We’re delighted work is now officially underway on what will be one of the most remarkable embassies in our great city. It is going to be a dazzling centrepiece for Nine Elms on the South Bank and will set new standards for low energy use and sustainability.
“The embassy’s move is also an incredible coup for Wandsworth. The US Government was among the very first institutions to buy-in to our vision for Nine Elms and their investment was a watershed moment in the area’s transformation.
“The Embassy has been a magnet for new investment and a vital catalyst for a regeneration programme which is delivering tens of thousands of jobs and homes.
“The ambassador and his staff are very welcome to Wandsworth!”
The new embassy will include a chancery, a consular section, support spaces, a U.S. Marine residence, access pavilions and parking.
Its design incorporates cutting edge sustainable features including aspirations for carbon neutrality, a self-sufficient water system and sets a goal for meeting the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) Excellent rating.
The area immediately south of the site is set to become a new public plaza. This open space will form a key link in a new linear park which will run all the way through Nine Elms from Vauxhall to Battersea Power Station.