The Australian relationship with the United States is one of the nation’s longest lasting, and most significant strategic partnerships. Beginning in 1940 with the appointment of Richard Casey in Washington DC, the establishment of a US based Australian embassy was Australia’s first diplomat post outside the Commonwealth – highlighting the ongoing priority Australia has placed on the relationship we share with the United States.

The federal decision to design and build a new embassy building on the current site solidifies the ties Australia and the Unites States continue to share in the present day.

The new Embassy has been designed by contract winners Bates Smart, who sought to promote an ongoing vision of contemporary Australia while still paying tribute to the historic landscape of our nation. An expansive glass atrium in the centre of the building serves as a centre point of the design, while a large public space looks back towards the White House along with an exhibition gallery and function spaces.

Bates Smart is committed to innovative environmental design, and such design will be at the fore of the new embassy’s design. With over 160 years of history, Bates Smart is a prominent Australian architectural studio and an obvious choice for the design of one of our most prominent international embassies.