Friday, Aug 08th 2008 6 Comments

Beijing US Embassy Opened August 7th

The new Beijing US Embassy, the second largest in the world (after Iraq), is a sign of the unparalleled importance of US-China relations going forward.

Beijing U.S. Embassy - Photos

I first saw pictures of the Embassy on Wangjianshuo’s site:

US Embassy Beijing aerial

photo courtesy Wangjianshuo.com under Creative Commons by-sa 2.5

Beijing US Embassy aerial

photo courtesy US Embassy Beijing

Scale Model of the Beijing Embassy:

Beijing US Embassy scale model

photo courtesy Beijing US Embassy and Skidmore Owings & Merrill

Plan of US Embassy in Beijing:

Plan Diagram of Beijing US Embassy

plan courtesy Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Beijing US Embassy Facts:

  • Beijing Embassy houses staff of 1,100 representing 26 agencies, according to Ambassador Clark T. Randt.
  • Project Size: 500,000 square feet of space
  • Site Area: 10 acres
  • Stories: 8
  • Building Height: 45 meters
  • Construction started: 5/28/2004
  • Cost: $434 mm USD / RMB 2,976,632,400
  • Number of local workers who helped in the construction: 1,500
  • Designed by team from San Francisco office of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, led by Craig Hartman

Beijing Embassy Artwork:

Art includes Jeff Koons sculpture, Tulips; art by Cai Guoqiang; piece by Maya Lin. Also Betty Woodman, Robert Rauschenberg, Yun-fei Ji, Hai Bo.

Photo of Jeff Koons, Tulips. Not sure if this is the same one:

Photo Jeff Koons Tulips

photo from Wikipedia

According to China Daily , Cai Guoqiang’s piece has special significance:

Chinese artist Cai Guoqiang’s Gun Powder work Eagle Landing on the Pine Branch is displayed inside the Atrium Office building of the new US Embassy compound in Beijing, August 5, 2008. The motifs of eagle and pine trees were chosen for their symbolic value in both China and the United States, representing the friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Cai Guoqiang, trained in stage design at the Shanghai Drama Institute, is renowned for his gunpowder works on paper and is one of the major stage designers for the Closing Ceremony of the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games.

Here is a photo of the piece:

Cai Guoqiang Gun Powder

Photo courtesy China Daily

More facts can be found on the US Embassy Fact Sheet for the NEC (New Embassy Compound)

Beijing Embassy Location (according to Wangjianshuo):

I’m sure things are busy there during the Games!

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6 Responses to “Beijing US Embassy Opened August 7th”

Comment by Wilder on 2008-08-10 02:28:14

Where’s my room. Good timing. I hope this building or compound was built without any bugs. Do you remember what happened when the US Embassy was built in Moscow? They had to practically take it down. Impressive never the less

 
Comment by Betty Chen on 2008-08-11 23:36:32

After the recent attack on that American couple in Beijing I am taking my family and heading back to the State. There is not security for tourists in Beijing only at the games. Fear next time at hotels and other tourists spots. Making money is so important to them.

Comment by oscar on 2008-08-14 21:24:24

only thing i can say is that you and your point of view are truly pathetic and no place on earth could be safe for you. Because you are forever haunted by your own insecurity.

 
Comment by Pablo on 2008-10-07 15:41:10

“Them”?!? Coming from someone named Betty Chen that’s pretty rich. I’m no apologist for China, but Beijing is safer than just about any city in the US.

 
 
Comment by Eric on 2008-08-12 01:25:39

The attack on the American tourists couple was very shocking to many from the states. Beijing should had metal detector and search people. It so easy for that man to carry that knife on him that killed his victim. It was not a big area for tourists to go up to. Why there were no search made before entering is very lacking of Beijing securtity.

I too is leaving Beijing heading back home after what happen. It could been pervented.

 
Comment by Kai Pan on 2008-08-12 12:34:33

When we have too much security, you blame us for oppressing people.
When we don’t have enough security, you blame us for being a dangerous place to be…

What do you want from us?

 

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