U.S. Consulate General Guadalajara

The U.S. Consulate General in Guadalajara required a landscape design that reflected the local ecosystem while accommodating a growing number of visitors each year.

An expression of the quality relationship between the United States and Mexico, the U.S. Consulate General in Guadalajara follows high security and renewable energy standards. Knot’s design reflected the Department of State’s desire to accommodate a growing number of visitors in the next decade and beyond—expected to grow from 1,800 to 2,400 visitors a day.

Working closely with Miller Hull, Knot’s team balanced the high Federal Performance Goals for sustainability with the client’s desire for a compound that could facilitate growing volumes of visitors in the 10th largest city in Latin America. The landscape design incorporates native, sustainable planting in a compound that includes a 272,000-square-foot office building, entry pavilions, a recreational area, and two underground parking garages. A clear wayfinding strategy was essential for landscaping as well as interior design. Knot’s design incorporates native plantings in a functional, organized layout that provides shade and shelter while respecting the local culture. The design also centered on the plan to save a large, mature grove of trees adjacent to the compound perimeter. The landscape design gestures, with colorful vegetation and shading for all visitors, display Knot’s sensitivity to adopting local context in every design.