Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
View the architectural study
Interpretive architectural study of the catalogued property.
4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
Egon Eiermann’s chancery steps down the wooded slope above Reservoir Road. Slender steel frames, continuous balconies and timber-framed windows give the long office building its open, horizontal character. Completed in 1964, it shares the grounds with an earlier house and later diplomatic buildings.
| Fact | Value | Basis and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Constructed | 1964 | verified Completion of the main chancery. The earlier house on the plateau dates from about 1930; construction periods are not combined into one building age. |
| Acquired by Germany | 1954 | verified The Eiermann archive documents purchase of the original sloping plot and existing colonial house in 1954. This date is not automatically assigned to the adjacent residence parcel. |
| Neighborhood | Berkley | verified |
| Architect | Egon Eiermann | verified The original chancery is by Eiermann. HPP led the later refurbishment; other campus buildings have their own design histories. |
| Rooms | 110–265 est. | estimated; Planning estimate: rooms = building area × room-area fraction ÷ average room size. For this office property, assume 45%–65% of the recorded 100,771 sq ft is enclosed usable room area, with an average 250–400 sq ft per room. The range combines the low fraction with the larger room size and the high fraction with the smaller size, rounded outward to five rooms. Room allocation and average size are assumptions. Covers the recorded building area; the interior has not been independently measured. Estimated room range. |
| Floor area | 100,800 sq ft | verified; Sum of the two distinct commercial CAMA building records on chancery estate SSL 1370/0014: 85,176 + 15,595 sq ft. The record is explicitly estate building area; it does not claim the main chancery alone measures this amount. Uses the assessor's recorded LIVING_GBA measure without adding an unreported basement. |
| Site area | 172,300 sq ft | verified; Parcel total: 1370/0014. DC ITSPE LANDAREA, recorded square feet. Roads and unrelated neighboring parcels excluded. |
| 2026 Value | $22.0M | verified; Parcel total: 1370/0014. Active 2026 DC ITSPE ASSESSMENT; land plus improvements. Not proposed value, tax owed, sale price or leasehold value. |
Scope and Evidence
The 1954 plot purchase and 1964 chancery occupation are separate events.
The 1930s house, Eiermann duplex and entry structures appear as selectable members in the Full Compound study.
The west parking lot is drawn from the 2019 aerial. The 2025 aerial shows renovation work, described in ANC 3D minutes; projected completion is not treated as proof of its finished appearance.
- eiermann.saai.kit.edu
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- oanc.dc.gov
- oanc.dc.gov
- otr.cfo.dc.gov
- www.bbr.bund.de
- www029.zimt.uni-siegen.de
Research Questions
Where Is Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany?
4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007. Approximate building center within the DC footprint, in WGS84. The compound marker locates the estate.
When Was Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Built?
Constructed: 1964. Record status: verified. Completion of the main chancery. The earlier house on the plateau dates from about 1930; construction periods are not combined into one building age. Record reviewed on 2026-10-23.
Who Designed Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany?
Architect: Egon Eiermann. Record status: verified. The original chancery is by Eiermann. HPP led the later refurbishment; other campus buildings have their own design histories. Record reviewed on 2026-10-23.
What Is the Floor Area of Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany?
Floor area: 100,800 sq ft. Record status: verified. Sum of the two distinct commercial CAMA building records on chancery estate SSL 1370/0014: 85,176 + 15,595 sq ft. The record is explicitly estate building area; it does not claim the main chancery alone measures this amount. Uses the assessor's recorded LIVING_GBA measure without adding an unreported basement. Verified in the record on 2026-10-24.
What Is the Site Area of Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany?
Site area: 172,300 sq ft. Record status: verified. Parcel total: 1370/0014. DC ITSPE LANDAREA, recorded square feet. Roads and unrelated neighboring parcels excluded. Verified in the record on 2026-10-24.
What Is the 2026 Value of Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany?
2026 Value: $22.0M. Record status: verified. Parcel total: 1370/0014. Active 2026 DC ITSPE ASSESSMENT; land plus improvements. Not proposed value, tax owed, sale price or leasehold value. This is a tax assessment, not a verified sale price or market valuation. Verified in the record on 2026-10-24.