The six-story structure features a glass- and copper-clad envelope whose color and striations are meant to evoke Uluru, or Ayers Rock, a sandstone monolith in the Australian Outback that is one of the country’s most recognizable natural landmarks.

The design discreetly integrates security to foster a feeling of welcome and transparency. “To fence or not to fence was a big question,” recalled Sam Rossato, relocation manager for the Australian Embassy, on the tour. Foregoing said fence, the building instead incorporates an anti-ram wall and bollards, and a ballistic- and blast-rated facade. But visitors will instead notice the gentle waterfall by the entrance and lightwell into a below-grade level.

Once inside, a large, full-height, skylit atrium takes center stage, creating an open ground plane and allowing guests to see through the building to the landscaped exterior and three large outdoor sculptures. Lined with vertical timber battens made from Tasmanian blackwood and eucalyptus panels backed by a perforated acoustic baffle, the atrium has hosted everything from dignitaries to concerts and a barbeque since the embassy opened in August 2023. On the floors above, timber batten-lined staff break rooms, connected to each other with a series of open staircases, overlook this daylit space.

The 220,000-square-foot building houses approximately 300 employees across a range of departments. A key feature of the new embassy is the display of Australian furniture and art—with an emphasis on First Nations artists. The outdoor sculptures are among six new site-specific works, which also find their way into the atrium. 

Topping the building is a green roof and apiary, which the embassy estimates is home to approximately 240,000 bees!