US Embassy Bridgetown, Barbados

The U.S. Department of State’s mission in renovating and enlarging an existing five-story office building shell for the new 86,000 SF home of the U.S. Embassy was to help heal this island nation of its brutal colonial past. Rather than emulate the colonial buildings of Barbados, exterior design elements are derived from more modest pre-colonial island structures. Indigenous architectural components, such as bright colors to differentiate scale and volume as well as deep shading devices to protect against the tropical sun, are incorporated to form a graceful American diplomatic presence that pays homage to the local culture.

Just as the exterior of this building makes references to aspects of local vernacular architecture through form, composition, and colors, the interior design is inspired by the simple, pared-down elegance of some Barbadian buildings. The design includes the use of plaster works with both smooth and textured finishes, honed coral limestone reminiscent of the building’s immediate context, as well as accents of naturally finished wood.

This work was designed and completed by Suman Sorg while at Sorg Architects.