New U.S. Consulate General Nogales Receives AIA DC Design Award
Bisected by the U.S.-Mexico border, the vibrant twin cities of Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Mexico, offer a distinctive fusion of cultures and economies. Reflecting the entrusted relationship between the U.S. and Mexico, the design of the new U.S. Consulate General Nogales emphasizes functionality, building performance, and an efficient visitor experience.
Perched on a steep hillside adjacent to commercial and residential districts, the consulate's design honors the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Its stone façade seamlessly integrates with the surrounding landscape.
Nogales is Arizona's largest border city with Mexico and has become a hub of cross-border economic exchange and a gateway for U.S. visitors heading south. The new consulate reinforces the area's significance as a key regional ally, poised to thrive amidst a surge in tourist activity.
Visitors access the consulate through the consular arrival court, an inviting outdoor oasis with plenty of shade and seating. The canopies and covered walkways are constructed with lightweight laser-cut aluminum panels, which subtly reference the traditional Ramada shelter technique: an open-sided structure with a flat roof, typically made of branches or poles.
This shade structure offers relief from the intense desert sun and decreases the building’s cooling requirements by 20%.
Native plants and materials connect the site to the landscape, using a series of plant typologies—Madrean evergreen woodland, semi-desert grassland, and evaporation rain swales—to define circulation and create distinct outdoor spaces. Through the thoughtful integration of materials, vegetation, and stormwater management, the consulate serves as a tangible example of enduring beauty for the Nogales community.
Inside, the consulate accommodates high-traffic flow with a grand lobby, spacious waiting room, and streamlined service booths for private consultations. The building’s circulation centers on ornamental stairs, connecting the three primary levels while promoting movement and interaction. A cafeteria opens to the sunrise terrace, which offers breathtaking mountain views.
Architect of Record: Page
Design Architect: Ennead Architects
Contractor: B.L. Harbert International, LLC
REVIT/BIM MODDLER (SENIOR)
3moCongratulations Page....
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4moMy stance here based on my 28-year experience with OBO that includes 11 years working as OBO Engineer / Deputy Project Director (provably with an exceptional record): Whatever OBO may publicly crow about, on the inside it is MASSIVELY CORRUPT. CORRUPTION and FRAUD in OBO is practiced more by its senior folks (as was by OBO Project Directors in-my-book Crooks Y. Karaman, T. Martyn and G. Rovder) - in which they all appear to be well protected by State-OIG. OBO/State-OIG relationship here seems akin to a criminal cartel (OBO) having bought off the corrupt local police (State-OIG). My current Quest (Lacina take note) is to precipitate investigations by DOGE on the following POTENTIALLY SERIOUS MATTER OF PUBLIC CONCERN: "Compelling evidence pointing to a DEEPLY ENTRENCHED AND PERVASIVE COVERT CULTURE OF INDIVIDUAL AND COLLUSIVE CORRUPTION AND FRAUD existing in significant parts of OBO, including in its Head Office - as well as in parts of State OIG symbiotically linked with OBO on presumably a clandestine quid pro quo basis." Above stance is supported by (powerful) docs available via the Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t22otjdjhorkpsr/AACsibl_1-Syw5027c0Jaog_a?dl=0 Recommend the "STANDARD PREFACE" doc be read first.
Chief Design Officer / Architect - CoFounder MID-RISE Modular - Providing Modular expertise and fabrication to Multi-family, Assisted Living & Student Housing Architects & Developers
4moBeautiful...
International Project Engineer at BL Harbert International LLC
4moCongratulations to everyone!
Senior Director of Operations at Amistad Industrial Developers
4moHard work meets great results. Congrats!”