As an economic power and a global influencer, the United States is estimated to have more than 160 embassies and over 90 consulates worldwide, including projects considered outstanding in terms of scale and construction costs.
US Embassy in the UK
The US embassy building in the UK is one of Washington's most modern diplomatic buildings in the world (Photo: US Department of State).
At a cost of more than $1 billion, the US embassy in the UK was one of the most expensive US embassy projects at the time of its announcement. The 12-story cube-shaped building was designed by Philadelphia-based architecture firm KieranTimberlake. It is located near the Thames River and officially opened in January 2018. The embassy has about 800 staff and welcomes about 1,000 visitors a day. The total area of the embassy complex is about 2 hectares.
Architect James Timberlake said that this is one of the first glass embassies in the world, but the design of the building ensures very strict security requirements. Each floor inside has a garden modeled after famous American landmarks, creating an open and welcoming atmosphere for visitors.
Inside one of the world's most expensive US embassies (Photo: PA).
CBS News described it as a "security fortress" and the most expensive US embassy in the world when it officially opened. Mr. Timberlake said the design of the building was inspired by buildings in Europe.
On one side of the building there is a pond deep and wide enough to stop any truck bomb from crashing into the building. On the other side there is a garden to help keep intruders out.
The US initiated the first procedures to build the project in 2008 and after preparations were completed, the construction broke ground in 2013.
US Embassy in Iraq
US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq (Photo: US Department of State).
This is the largest US embassy in the world. It covers 42 hectares, almost the same area as the Vatican (44 hectares). The embassy located in the capital Baghdad is 5 times larger than the US embassy in Armenia, the second largest US diplomatic facility abroad, and 10 times larger than the US embassy in China (ranked 3rd on the list).
Construction began in 2005 and the embassy officially opened in January 2009. The project cost $750 million and in 2012, it housed 16,000 employees and military contractors. The US has since reduced the number of personnel at the diplomatic facility.
Located in the heavily guarded Green Zone in Baghdad, the project includes six residential buildings, a water and waste treatment facility, a power plant, two diplomatic office buildings, and other facilities such as a cinema, recreation area, swimming pool, and tennis court.
US Embassy in Armenia
US Embassy in Armenia (Photo: Armen Press).
As mentioned above, the US embassy in the former Soviet state of Armenia is Washington’s second largest diplomatic mission in the world. The building is located near Lake Yerevan, along the Yerevan-Etchmiadzin highway. The entire complex covers 9 hectares of land.
The project opened in 2005 after four years of construction. At the time, the construction cost was around $76 million, according to the news site Azatutyun.am .
The embassy complex includes a power station, staff apartments and a recreation center.
US Embassy in China
US Embassy in China (Photo: Reuters),
The US Embassy is located in Chaoyang, Beijing, China, covering an area of about 4 hectares. At the time of the inauguration of the project in 2008, former US President George W. Bush personally attended the event.
Plans for the embassy have been in place since the mid-1990s and the US has carefully selected the contractor to build what it describes as an energy-efficient and sustainable building. The US Embassy in China is a modern, secure facility located northeast of the Forbidden City.
The architecture of the building is a harmonious combination of Eastern and Western design traditions. The embassy consists of 6 buildings, housing more than 1,300 American and indigenous staff. The construction cost at that time was 434 million USD. The building is highly secure with solid layers of protection, and is also designed to withstand the risk of earthquakes.
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