The new US Embassy in London is expected to be completed in 2017 and with Birdair’s help. The outer envelope of the building will feature approximately 399 single layer ETFE facade sails.

The court building is a transparent, crystalline cube designed to afford generous daylight and views. A high-performance building façade uses multiple-layer laminated glazing with an outer envelope of ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) to screen excessive solar gain and glare while allowing a uniform distribution of daylight.

The embassy will stand at the center of the site, with the surrounding park containing a pond, walkways, seating, and landscape along its edges, all open to the citizens of London. In contrast to high perimeter walls and fences, security requirements are achieved through landscape design—such as the large pond, low garden walls with bench seating, and differences in elevation that create natural, unobtrusive barriers. Curving walkways continue into the interior of the building with gardens on each floor that extend the spiraling movement upward, enhancing circulation and providing places to meet.