Government - Embassies Links: philippineembassy-usa.org
By: AlbinoFlea
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.
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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.
