United Nations Secretariat Building
Encyclopedia
The United Nations Secretariat Building is a 154 m (505.2 ft) tall skyscraper
and the centerpiece of the United Nations Headquarters
, located in the Turtle Bay
area of Manhattan
, in New York City
. The lot where the building stands is considered United Nations
territory, although remains part of the United States
.
and the French Le Corbusier
. This building is connected to the Conference Building to the north that houses the General Assembly
, the Security Council
, among others, and a library building to the south (see foreground of the photo).
The building houses the administerial functions of the UN, including day-to-day duties such as finance and translation, and the offices of ambassadors and delegates.
As part of the UN complex, the building is subject to an agreement between the United Nations and its host country, the United States.
On December 21, 2010 The UN Building was evacuated due to a sewer backup in the building. The UN is currently being renovated.
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
and the centerpiece of the United Nations Headquarters
United Nations headquarters
The headquarters of the United Nations is a complex in New York City. The complex has served as the official headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1952. It is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River...
, located in the Turtle Bay
Turtle Bay, Manhattan
Turtle Bay is a neighborhood in New York City, on the east side of Midtown Manhattan. It extends between 41st and 54th Streets, and eastward from Lexington Avenue to the East River, across from Roosevelt Island...
area of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The lot where the building stands is considered United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
territory, although remains part of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
It has 39 stories and was completed in 1952. The building was designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar NiemeyerOscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...
and the French Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
. This building is connected to the Conference Building to the north that houses the General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
, the Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
, among others, and a library building to the south (see foreground of the photo).
The building houses the administerial functions of the UN, including day-to-day duties such as finance and translation, and the offices of ambassadors and delegates.
As part of the UN complex, the building is subject to an agreement between the United Nations and its host country, the United States.
On December 21, 2010 The UN Building was evacuated due to a sewer backup in the building. The UN is currently being renovated.
See also
- List of tallest buildings in New York City
- United Nations HeadquartersUnited Nations headquartersThe headquarters of the United Nations is a complex in New York City. The complex has served as the official headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1952. It is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River...
- Dag Hammarskjöld LibraryDag Hammarskjöld LibraryThe Dag Hammarskjöld Library is part of the United Nations headquarters and is connected to the Secretariat and conference buildings through ground level and underground corridors. It is named after Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations.The Library has specialized in...