U.S. embassies are never simple. They are multifaceted self-contained villages with strict security, both in design and construction. They are often hampered by local workforces with different language, culture and construction practices.

The Ankara embassy project was no different. But it was further complicated by a global pandemic and an inexperienced local workforce. BL Harbert International worked around the latter problem by bringing in 60 third-country nationals to mentor about 900 Turks in the crafts and in safety procedures, all the time following COVID-19 protocols.