ABOUT THE PLAN OF THE NEW GUANGZHOU CONSULATE COMPOUND

GENERAL INFORMATION

• The multi-building complex will occupy a 7.4-acre site and when completed will create a secure and pleasant environment for approximately 300 employees.

• The New Consulate Compound (NCC) will consist of seven buildings each with specific functions:  a four-story main chancery, an adjacent four-story Consular office building, a Marine security guard quarters, a warehouse with maintenance shops, a utility building, and two compound access control structures.  The compound will be located in the Tianhe District, Pearl River New Town development area in Guangzhou, China, two blocks from the Pearl River.

• The Guangzhou NCC will be arranged so that its seven buildings are separated from each other but tied together by gardens and courtyards demonstrating our commitment to green design and sustainability.

• To reduce the heat island effect on the site, which is about the size of a city block, and abundance of trees will shade the walkways and parking lot.  

• Several of the buildings on the site will feature “green” roofs which with mitigate thermal loads by providing insulation, and will also minimize storm water run-off. Rooftops that are not green are covered in white stone to reflect heat and minimize heat gain.

• Several of the buildings on the site will feature “green” roofs with soil and growing plants in two-foot deep planting beds, above the roof waterproofing. 

• The centerpiece of the compound will be the four-story Consular office building featuring an interior “Great Hall” and 67 service windows for American citizen services, visa interviews and other applicants.  The stone-clad building will be flooded with natural light, and the Great Hall will feature natural wood wall and ceiling finishes as well as Chinese granite flooring.

• The building facade and landscaped areas will be designed to integrate Chinese granite and other local stone with trees and other plantings from southern China

• The construction of a new consulate in Guangzhou will reflect not only the importance of the United States-China bilateral relationship, but also the breadth of issues in which our countries are engaged as this new century progresses.

FACTS

• Ground Breaking: Fall of 2009     

• Construction to Commence: Fall of 2009 

• Total Project Cost:  Approximately $260 million
    
• Estimated number of local workers who will assist in the construction: 
  Approximately 650
    
• Site area: 30,000 square meters (sm)
        
• Project area:  20,500 sm (220,000 square feet) floor area
   
• Number of U.S. agencies to be housed in the NCC:  Seven
   
• General Construction Contractor:  B.L. Harbert International LLC
   
• Architect Firm:  Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP
   
• Chinese Construction Contractor:  China Huashi Enterprises Company LTD
   
• Cost of the Contract Awards to B.L. Harbert and China Huashi: $164 million

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

• The Department of State emphasized energy efficiency and sustainability when designing the NCC. The NCC will be constructed with materials known to have low life-cycle costs and high quality.  The use of extensive natural light will keep energy costs down while providing efficient work areas for employees.  Daylight will be provided without heat gain through the use of recessed exterior glazing and wooden louvers.  Storm water will be detained on site and filtered through a series of “bio basins” or sunken gardens filled with indigenous grasses and plantings.  “Green” roofs with growing plants and white, sunlight-reflecting roofs, along with state-of-the-art mechanical systems demonstrates the United States commitment to the environment.

ART       

• The art program for the Guangzhou Consulate will comprise a collection of contemporary works of art by American, Chinese, and Chinese-American artists for both the interior and exterior spaces.  The works will include a variety of media: paint, photography, textiles, paper, steel and a photographic documentary of buildings on Shamian Island.  The collection will be commissioned and purchased by the Department of State’s ART in Embassies Program, emphasizing diplomatic and cultural connections.  The Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE), a private organization that supports Art in Embassies, has commissioned a monumental steel sculpture by artist Joel Shapiro.