Ennead Architects creates consulate in Mexico with "monumental diplomatic presence"

Architecture studio Ennead Architects has completed a US consulate at the Arizona-Mexico border that features metal roofs informed by traditional southwestern structures.

Located in Nogales, Mexico, the primary purpose of the US Consulate General will be to process work visas for those entering the US. According to Ennead Architects, the location is "one of the most active border crossings between the two countries".

The project's major design influences were its steep, desert site, as well as "traditional Mexican ramadas" – open-air pavilions made of natural materials such as mesquite that were used for shelter or ceremonial uses.

"We confronted a steeply sloping site defined by a number of regional challenges, including water management and extreme heat conditions, while demanding both human-scale functionality and a monumental diplomatic presence," said Ennead Architects principal Felicia Berger. "Our design strategy embraced these extremes, allowing diplomacy to flourish."

The building is accessed through a gatehouse-like building before a drive leads to the consulate, which stands at the top of a hill.

It is broken down into "three distinct, stacked volumes", topped with an expansive roof canopy made of a textured steel-and-aluminium screen, while similar screens cover pavilions in the outdoor courtyards.

The facade was clad in stone bricks that pay homage to the tones of the surrounding desert, while marbled stone pavers were used for pathways throughout the site.

A band of picture windows wraps around the top floor, and other areas, such as the entrance and a terrace, are also lined with planes of glazing.

According to the studio, the deep-set windows reference  "centuries-old Mexican construction techniques".

Outside, drought-tolerant plants were placed around the courtyards and an irrigation system funnels water into underground cisterns. This was designed to prevent runoff to the surrounding community, which is prone to flooding, and to decrease the use of the municipal water.

Other sustainable strategies include photovoltaic panels and the ramada-informed shade structures, which reduce the project's cooling load by 20 per cent, according to the studio.

Inside, the building features stone and brick cladding and was designed to be "compressed and intimate".

The same roof pattern is carried into the wall cladding, while consular windows were lined in black soffits.

Orange chairs were placed in the primary waiting areas and lounge areas contain gray, cushioned seating.

According to Ennead Architects, the project is part of an ongoing partnership with the US Department of State Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations.

The studio previously designed a US Embassy in Turkey with the department, is also working on an embassy in The Bahamas and consulates in Thailand and Nigeria.

The studio recently completed a fossil museum in New Jersey made of a series of concrete and wood volumes.

The photography is by Alan Karchmer

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