Stationed in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea — directly south of Sicily and north of Libya — is Malta, a group of seven islands of which three are inhabited. The largest of the three is Malta. With low rocky terrain and sandy soil, the land is rich in limestone. Recently, a new U.S. Embassy compound was built in the island’s capital of Valletta — featuring an extensive showcase of stone, including Maltese limestone. The use of the local limestone not only reflects the style of the island’s existing architecture, but contributed to overall LEED certification.
Under contract with the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Overseas Building Operations, the U.S. Embassy Compound was designed by Karn Charuhas Chapman & Twohey (KCCT) Architects of Washington, DC — a firm specializing in U.S. Embassy design. The project team included Principals John Chapman, AIA and Paul Phillips, AIA, LEED® AP, Project Designer Daniel Lavoie and Construction Administrator Shokouh Amin-Khalilian, LEED® AP, CDT.