Kallas noted that the embassy building, which Estonia acquired in the early 1990s, was the starting point on Estonia’s pathway to NATO membership. “We are very grateful for strong American presence on NATO’s eastern flank, including Estonia, showing that NATO is ready to defend every inch of its territory,” she said.
Estonian ambassador to the United States Kristjan Prikk noted that the renovation of the embassy had been a long and complex process. “I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the doors of the embassy reopening to everyone here on Massachusetts Avenue,” he said. “In recent years we have enhanced our cooperation with the USA not only in regard to security and defence, but also in the areas of the economy, cyber issues, development cooperation and the promotion of democracy. And efforts to further relations between our two countries will continue.”
The building, which is home to the Estonian embassy at 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. was built in 1903 and is situated in the city’s embassy district. Estonia purchased the building in 1994. It was then re-modelled prior to the initial opening of the embassy in October 1995.
In the course of re-modelling, the embassy was given a new look by interior architect Rene Safin. Although the building is quintessentially American in its outward appearance, inside it is dominated by clean lines and a sense of openness typical of Northern Europe. Visitors are greeted in the foyer by a white feature wall bearing the word Eesti which recalls a flag waving in the wind. The public area of the embassy is marked out by expansive white wall spaces and glass surfaces embellished with copper details. In both its form and colour palette, the interior employs softer nuances typical of the country it is representing. The dark furnishings, made in Estonia, serve as an elegant, stylish and high-quality accent. The ceiling in the main hall is studded with light fixtures reminiscent of snowflakes which provide a uniform background glow. The white chairs in this room are marked out by their fine lines, which help to maintain a sense of lightness in the space even when it is full of people. The consular reception area on the basement level avoids excessive austerity, while the service area, with separate street access and a disabled lift, provides a warm welcome. The embassy is adorned with seven artworks made for the newly renovated building by Estonian artists Eve Ermann, Pille Ernesaks, Laurentsius, Oliver Soomets and Marje Üksine and Estonian-based Finnish painter Jenny Grönholm. The works were selected as part of a public competition in 2021.
Photos: Jürgen Randma, Stenbocki maja
