December 15, 2016 / Civil Engineering, Landscape

U.S. Embassy Compound
Baghdad, Iraq

Design / Bid / Build
Design Civil Engineer: Cowen Design Group
Design Architect : EYP Architecture & Engineering


Cowen Design Group served as the Design Civil Engineer for the Master Plan Implementation for the U.S. Embassy Compound in Baghdad, Iraq. As the largest embassy in the world, the site conditions assessment created a daunting task to take multiple upgrades that have occurred over several years and utilize existing features to ultimately deliver a holistic utility concept.

Site flooding during sporadic but intense storms required analysis of the cause and most effective solutions available. Without increasing onsite detention Cowen Design Group was able to improve outfall elements to allow for efficient removal of runoff. The engineering design also required analysis of three separate water treatment systems, which were combined and retuned to perform in resonance with each other to maximize capacity.

The extreme climate of Baghdad required the development of innovative heat exchange systems. Extensive research into practices for insulated piping was a key element to providing a site design that fulfills the living requirements of U.S. and foreign staff. The design of everything from pavement to pumps required first an analysis of the impacts from dust, infrequent but intense rain storms, and extreme daily temperature ranges.

l-dakar01