A ‘House of Sweden’ in Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract

A paradigm shift in embassy architecture has been initiated by The Swedish National Property Board, culminating in the ‘House of Sweden’, Washington D.C. This project attempts to extend that initiative for the design of a House of Sweden in Wellington, New Zealand; it has relationships and integration with the host country. The process of design explorations investigated how research by design was employed to formulate a conclusion. The stance taken renounces the notion of representational architecture that is prominent in embassy typology and concentrated solely on good architectural principles. Security is a highly influential factor in embassy architecture. The design was no more or no less secure than that of the Washington ‘House of Sweden’, but has addressed the security issues while not allowing the embassy to become an isolated entity within the building. The overall development of the project has been determined by the urban context in which it is sited. The project provides the traditional embassy and consulate activities. However, the unusual inclusion of a shared double staircase component in the building, links Wellington waterfront to the suburban area beyond. It allows the public an ability to engage, interact, dwell and enjoy the volume of the new House of Sweden. It thus creates a ‘true’ transparency that is more than just the proverbial glass box architecture.