British Embassy, Rabat, Morocco
A functional design helps reinforce this embassy’s role in the region.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) appointed CallisonRTKL to create a design for the British Embassy in Rabat that reinforces and assists the British Embassy’s role in Rabat. The building is inspired by the traditional courtyard house and responds to both the cultural needs and the technical and security requirements of a 21st Century diplomatic center. The outer walls of the structure give a sense of protection and privacy and openings, cutaways and slots throughout the exterior offer open sightlines. This aspect of the design maintains the advantages of the courtyard while avoiding a fortress-like feel to the building. Local craftsman helped create a traditional “zellij” mosaic of the British coat of arms to draw connections between the host country and the embassy’s British identity.
