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Click on images at left for larger color views. [Google
Earth link]
On a picturesque site in Washington, DC's Georgetown district,
overlooking the Potomac River and next to Rock Creek, the
House
of Sweden is not only that country's embassy but also
"the crown jewel of the Swedish presence in the U.S."
Designed by Gert Wingårdh,
the glassy building attempts to "illuminate the idea
of the open society" of Sweden without being monotonous
or predictable in the application of this material to its
unique site.
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One can arrive from the water
side and be greeted with the view of the image at top, though
in most cases people will arrive via 30th Street and the roundabout
drop-off, seeing the building as in the image at left. This
view spells out most features of the building, primarily the
change in function of each floor: the first floor used for
exhibition and embassy, the second for embassy functions,
and the upper two floors for apartments.
Additional functions include a rooftop terrace and lower-level
event center, with parking in the second basement level. |
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The parallelogram-like shape
of the plan gives the building a dynamic appearance, aided
by the horizontal emphasis of the floors and the cantilever
of the third floor. The only violation of the parallelogram
happens overlooking Rock Creek, where the building steps to
follow the water, providing views of the Potomac from this
most-removed portion of the site. This side of the building
has a less formal character of the arrival side, with a walkway
leading to a reflecting pool
and access to the lower event
level. |
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The materials follow the striation
of the exterior, with white stone and vision glass at the
base, a double-layer of glass above (one layer printed with
white dots), and most overtly the third floor's laminated
glass with computer-generated, wood-grain
print. This handling of materials extends to the blond
maple and printed glass interior
and the water wall marking
the entry. More than the design, what makes the building inviting,
per its intention, is its literal openness to visitors, something
eschewed by other embassies in DC but embraced by Sweden,
who sees the importance of the building's double role.
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House of Sweden in Washington, District of Columbia by Gert Wingårdh |
2007.07.23 |
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Click
on images below for larger views.
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