South African Ambassador’s Residence
View the architectural study
Interpretive architectural study of the catalogued property.
4847 Rockwood Parkway NW, Washington, DC 20016
This stone-and-stucco house in Spring Valley was built in 2006 and acquired by South Africa in May 2010. Steep tiled roofs, a narrow entrance tower and two projecting stone wings frame the front; the rear opens onto a pool terrace.
| Fact | Value | Basis and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Constructed | 2006 | verified DC HistoryQuest records 2006, citing the DC Office of the Surveyor and Office of Tax and Revenue. |
| Acquired by South Africa | 17 May 2010 | verified DC’s property record gives a sale date of 17 May 2010, a sale price of $6,995,000 and the Republic of South Africa as owner. |
| Neighborhood | Spring Valley | verified |
| Architect | Not verified | unverified Sale listing names Clemens Construction as builder, which does not establish an architect. Washingtonian describes a French eclectic house. |
| Rooms | 19 | verified; DC CAMA residential ROOMS field for SSL 1512 0035, building 1: 19. This is the assessor room count; bathrooms and bedrooms are recorded in separate fields, so it is not a count of every enclosed space. |
| Floor area | 10,419 sq ft (CAMA) | verified; DC CAMA-derived Sum_GBA field; exact inclusions not stated. DC’s CAMA-derived hosted layer, last edited on 17 April 2017, gives Sum_GBA as 10,419 square feet. Redfin’s public-record area agrees. The advertised 16,000 square feet uses an unstated scope and is not substituted. |
| Site area | 19,583 sq ft | verified LANDAREA for tax parcel SSL 1512 0035. |
| 2026 Value | $11,268,290 | verified; 1,614,620 + 9,653,670 = 11,268,290 CY1YEAR and CY2YEAR are 2026; ASSESSMENT is $11,268,290. The OTR TY 2026 report, p. 276, independently gives land of $1,614,620 and improvements of $9,653,670. |
| Diplomatic use | 2017 | documented-by; Washington Life identifies Ambassador Mahlangu residence at 4847 Rockwood Parkway. The article URL and publication date say 2016, but the embedded directory heading says 2017; use the later documentary bound conservatively and preserve this discrepancy. No first-occupation year is asserted. South Africa entry; top embedded heading Embassy Directory 2017. |
Scope and Evidence
The residence role and exact address are explicitly documented by a Washington Life embassy directory whose URL is dated 2016 and whose embedded heading says 2017; DC's tax extract confirms continuing South African ownership in October 2026. No newer official document stating the ambassador's residential address was located.
Exterior reconstruction uses photographs from the property's pre-acquisition sale listing and DC building footprints. Current finishes and landscape may differ.
- maps2.dcgis.dc.gov
- otr.cfo.dc.gov
- services.arcgis.com
- services.arcgis.com
- services.arcgis.com
- washingtonian.com
- washingtonlife.com
- www.redfin.com
Research Questions
Where Is South African Ambassador’s Residence?
4847 Rockwood Parkway NW, Washington, DC 20016. Approximate WGS84 address point within DC tax parcel SSL1512 0035.
When Was South African Ambassador’s Residence Built?
Constructed: 2006. Record status: verified. DC HistoryQuest records 2006, citing the DC Office of the Surveyor and Office of Tax and Revenue. Record reviewed on 2026-10-29.
Who Designed South African Ambassador’s Residence?
Architect: Not verified. Record status: unverified. Sale listing names Clemens Construction as builder, which does not establish an architect. Washingtonian describes a French eclectic house. Record reviewed on 2026-10-29.
What Is the Floor Area of South African Ambassador’s Residence?
Floor area: 10,419 sq ft (CAMA). Record status: verified. DC CAMA-derived Sum_GBA field; exact inclusions not stated. DC’s CAMA-derived hosted layer, last edited on 17 April 2017, gives Sum_GBA as 10,419 square feet. Redfin’s public-record area agrees. The advertised 16,000 square feet uses an unstated scope and is not substituted. Record reviewed on 2026-10-29.
What Is the Site Area of South African Ambassador’s Residence?
Site area: 19,583 sq ft. Record status: verified. LANDAREA for tax parcel SSL 1512 0035. Record reviewed on 2026-10-29.
What Is the 2026 Value of South African Ambassador’s Residence?
2026 Value: $11,268,290. Record status: verified. 1,614,620 + 9,653,670 = 11,268,290 CY1YEAR and CY2YEAR are 2026; ASSESSMENT is $11,268,290. The OTR TY 2026 report, p. 276, independently gives land of $1,614,620 and improvements of $9,653,670. This is a tax assessment, not a verified sale price or market valuation. Record reviewed on 2026-10-29.