Project Description

Nestled along the East River in New York City, the United Nations Headquarters has long been admired as the physical embodiment of global diplomacy and collaboration. Designed in 1947 by a collaborative team of esteemed architects including Le Corbusier, Wallace K. Harrison, and Oscar Niemeyer, the 17-acre campus is an icon of International Style architecture. The United Nations Headquarters Capital Master Plan laid the groundwork for the rehabilitation of the campus, including the facades for all six of the campus buildings.

The original 39-story Secretariat tower had a revolutionary all-glass curtain wall design that was the first of its kind on a tower, and has stood as a precedent for other curtain wall skyscrapers. But after years of wear and tear, its wall assemblies were failing. Extensive testing was conducted to replicate the visual appearance of the original facades, replacing them with faithful representations that also meet modern standards for security and sustainability.

At the General Assembly building, a micro-patterned glass was developed to replicate the surface texture of the original product. This patterned glass was combined with acid etching and custom-patterned ceramic frits to replicate the original grid densities. The renovation of the Conference Building required close coordination to accommodate its five bespoke curtain wall types, including a long-span canted curtain wall with integral door portals. The Dag Hammarskjöld Library, South Annex Building, and North Lawn Building also received full renovations to their envelopes.

Selected Recognition

The Preservation League of New York State, Excellence in Historic Preservation Award, 2016 and Docomomo US Modernism in America, Citation of Technical Achievement Award, 2016

Photography © Heintges

Role

Technical Coordinator