Department of State begins construction on new US Embassy in Hanoi
VOV.VN -A groundbreaking ceremony for the new United States Embassy Hanoi campus was held on April 15 in Cau Giay district of Hanoi.
Those in attendance included US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper, Vietnam Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Duong Duc Tuan, vice chairman of the Hanoi People Committee, alongside representatives of the US Mission in Vietnam, the US Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), and other US and Vietnamese officials.
The event is viewed as a demonstration of the enduring commitment to the US- Vietnam relationship during the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Partnership.
The US Embassy campus has a total investment of US$1.2 billion, built on 39,000sq.m, on a land area of 3.2 hectares, featuring plenty of greenery.
The new building’s design seeks to embrace both the modern urban landscape and natural beauty of Hanoi, whilst also incorporating the latest in sustainable design features.
Drawing inspiration from the rice paddies that surround the region, a terraced landscape solution has been applied to mitigate rainwater, and all major structures are to be elevated one metre above the projected flood plain.
Sustainable materials with high recycled content, low embodied carbon, and low levels of volatile organic compounds will be used in order to ensure a healthy and energy-efficient interior.
Page of Washington, D.C. is the architect, with B.L. Harbert International of Birmingham, Alabama, being the construction contractor. Nearly US$350 million is anticipated to be invested in the local economy throughout the course of the project.
Since the start of the Department’s Capital Security Construction Program in 1999, OBO has completed a total of 176 new diplomatic facilities. OBO currently has more than 50 active projects either in the design phase or under construction worldwide.
OBO provides safe, secure, functional, and resilient facilities that represent the US Government to the host nation and support US diplomats in advancing US foreign policy objectives abroad.
In his remarks, Antony Blinken said, "Over the last 27 years, the ties that bind Vietnam and the United States have also grown stronger. That’s happened , in no small part, because of our renewed diplomatic presence in Hanoi, and because of our exceptional staff – at our Embassy and our consulate in Ho Chi Minh City – who have worked day in and day out to forge a relationship that’s robust, dynamic, and consequential, to the benefit of our people, the region, and the world.
Today, we’re also celebrating ten years of collaboration through our Comprehensive Partnership. We’ve joined forces on everything from improving public health, to expanding inclusive economic opportunities, to accelerating the clean energy transition.
We‘re advancing a free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific region, one that is at peace and rooted in respect for the rules-based international order. And we’re continuing to work together to address the legacy of the war in Vietnam."