The Chancery

The Brazilian Chancery in Washington, located at 3006 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., reflects the boldness and inventiveness of contemporary Brazilian architecture as it stands in harmony with the character of the city where it is situated.

Foto por Ulisses Bento

Inaugurated on October 1, 1971, the building was designed by the Brazilian architect Olavo Redig de Campos. Ricardo de Abreu, an assistant, and Hans-Ulrich Scharnberg, a local consulting architect, also contributed to the design. The structure consists of a row of steel columns along the central longitudinal module, which serves as the main support for the entire building. Brazilian raw materials, including wood and stone, were used in the building’s many paneling details and ornamental features. The floor of the front entrance hall is of dark granite. In this space, an abundance of glass and steel is juxtaposed with an exposed concrete wall surrounded by a water mirror. Many of the building's interior walls and most of the doors are clad in rosewood. The offices and hallways are decorated with paintings and prints by renowned Brazilian artists.

The Chancery building sits adjacent to the Ambassador's Residence, a neoclassical structure designed by John Russell Pope.