Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines, Washington

From www.philippineembassy-usa.org:

Construction of the current chancery began in 1991, and was completed in 1993. Located in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., near Dupont circle, the chancery was built on a trapezoidal island on Massachusetts avenue that is bordered by 17th and Bataan streets, with N street at its rear. It is a four story beaux-arts building, with its smooth-finish precast, the chancery blends nicely with the traditional limestone structures of the embassy row.



Tradition weighs strongly in the building's inset cylindrical corner on the east elevation, and in its granite base and concrete cornice work. Its architects exerted deliberate efforts to create a not-so-discordant theme in the high-tech sheen of the metal window mullions and frames, whose brightness makes a sharp contrast with its photochromatic tinted glass. With its complementary landscape, the structure exudes a dignified, elegant and positive presence in Massachusetts avenue.



Entering the chancery's main entrance and stepping beyond the security vestibule, one is met by a sweeping double staircase and a distinguished wainscoted marble-floored corridor leading to a commodious receiving room. The intricately designed-carpet in the Ambassador's office were made by a distinctive Philippine carpet company which handiwork graces the Oval Office of the White House.



For all its traditionalism, the building, with 55,000 gross square feet area, includes a nicely tucked-in two-level underground parking garage that was crafted with the convenience of its users and in mind. It is one of the few chanceries in embassy row designed with a pre-wired local area network and an unobtrusive electronic security system.