The new residence of the Swiss ambassador in Washington is both a home and a venue for official functions – political, social and cultural. And of course it is also an expression of Swiss architecture and culture. Situated in park-like grounds in an attractive residential district in the northwest of the city, the building commands a view over to the Washington Monument. Inside, this diagonal axis continues, the main salons being arranged either side of it from the front entrance through to the large terrace. This sequence of overlapping reception areas, which can be flexibly combined as required, dictated the crossshaped ground plan of the building.