House of Sweden Opens in Washington
2006-10-23
King Carl XVI Gustaf formally opened House of Sweden on 23 October 2006. Beside the Potomac in Georgetown, the new embassy brought public rooms and offices for diplomats into the same building. [3] [1]
Sweden had sought a permanent home for decades before its National Property Board secured an option on the waterfront site in 2002 and launched an architectural competition. Gert Wingårdh and Tomas Hansen’s winning design used glass, wood, stone, and light. Construction began in 2004. [2] [3] [1]
At the opening, the king connected the architecture with public diplomacy. Exhibitions, seminars, and receptions would bring Americans and Swedes inside, with a program extending to design, the environment, and technology. [3]
Related Diplomats
Sources
- House of Sweden — Swedish National Property Board
Project history, construction, materials, and October 2006 inauguration
- History of House of Sweden — Embassy of Sweden
Site acquisition, 2002 competition, 2004 groundbreaking, and 2006 completion
- King Carl XVI Gustaf’s speech opening House of Sweden
Inauguration speech; architecture, exhibitions, and public diplomacy
- Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs — Gunnar Lund appointment, 26 May 2005
- Gunnar Lund
Related Reading
Cite This Article
House of Sweden Opens in Washington. Chanceries Diplopedia. Record 1608f0f6b0b1a2f78aa7. https://chanceries.org/research/history/house-2006-91b61c1d55/