Letter
Dear Ambassador Eliasson:
During its meeting of 22 April, the Commission was pleased to have your presence for the review of the concept design for the proposed new building for the Embassy of Sweden, to be located at 901 30th Street, NW, on the Georgetown waterfront. The commissioners found the concept design for the embassy building and its surrounding landscape to be exceptional and endorsed the project with their unanimous approval. The concept scheme, by the Wingardh Arkitektkontor/NOD team, is elegantly uncomplicated, but rich in detail. It has the potential to create a building that is worthy of this prominent site on the north bank of the Potomac River, and it seems to have the character that is essential to hold its own in the context of the John F. Kennedy Center, the Watergate complex, and the other national memorials along the waterfront. The ultimate success of the design will require the careful selection of materials and diligent development of the details. We look forward to reviewing the project as it moves forward in its development.
As you know, following the presentation of the Embassy, the commissioners also reviewed a concept design for the north building of the two-building project on 30th Street, NW, that includes the embassy. The concept for this second building was not well received and was not approved as there were problems that the commissioners hope can be resolved in the near future. The Commission asked the applicant to return to the Old Georgetown Board with revisions to address the issues raised during their presentation. We encourage the developer and his architect to work closely with your design team to create a structure that will have a suitable character of its own, yet provide an understated northern edge for the Swedish Embassy's building and its surrounding landscape.
The staff is available should you or the design teams have questions or need guidance.
Sincerely,
/s/
Harry G. Robinson III, FAIA
Chairman
Ambassador Jan Eliasson
Embassy of Sweden
1501 M Street, NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
cc: Peter Ohstedt, Swedish National Property Board
Gert Wingardh, Wingardh Architects
Walter Schaepper, Leo A. Daley
Arthur Cotton Moore
Alan Novak
John Parsons, NPS