Lao PDR Embassy ACT

The site consists of approx. 8,200m2 of hillside land, overlooking the Woden Town Centre in Canberra. The brief called for an embassy complex containing a chancery, ambassador’s residence, staff quarters and a function hall. The masterplan developed responses to a multitude of factors including: a hierarchy of building visibility to the street, security zoning, minimising cut to fill, maximising solar aspect and view opportunities.

Ideas of cultural embedment have been included at design principle level such as: the pavilion style layout, the simple forms and materials, layering of roofs, formalised courtyards to in-between space, and the rice paddy like terracing of the ground plane. The natural contours and vegetation bleeds in from the edges blurring the line of where informal meets formal.

This complex project has been procured under an ECI process. In doing so we sought to deliver a value for money outcome to the client, that would deliver the project they desired within strict budget controls.