United States Consulate
Nogales, Mexico

In collaboration with Ennead Architects, Spacesmith developed the planning and interior design of 57,000 sf of office space for the US Department of State’s New Consulate Compound in Nogales, Mexico. Drawing upon and advancing the previous interior programming and standards Spacesmith developed for Embassy projects in Mexico City, Ankara, and Nassau, our team established office modules that not only tie in the systems furniture with the structural grid, but also with the demountable partitions, ceiling systems, and façade.

The typical office module includes multiple layers of growth options to address densification needs. In addition to the 10% growth desks included on Day 1 (move in), the office layout allows for parts of redundant circulation to be filled in with additional desks without loss of function for Day 2 (future growth).

The entire benching cluster can be densified from 3 to 4 desks in case of sudden growth, as is often the case in a smaller post. Areas of open collaboration can also accommodate additional workstations in a surge condition when the building reaches maximum capacity. Overall, the standard module which shapes the building concept allows for 93% growth in workstations alone.

In addition to the office interiors, Spacesmith provided furniture layouts for the representational spaces, such as the main lobby and the multi-purpose room, as well as the exterior spaces which include shared terraces within the chancery and the cabana pool area. Throughout the process, our team focused on weaving in local culture and customs into the overall design through use of color and material selection.