One Liberty Plaza Building vs United Nations Secretariat Building

One Liberty Plaza Building
United Nations Secretariat Building

Comparing the One Liberty Plaza Building and the United Nations Secretariat Building is interesting because they both rise in New York, NY, yet they were conceived by two different design teams, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Wallace Harrison, and were completed at different points in time. They were finished over two decades apart.

This contrast within the same city allows us to see how different creative minds interpreted the evolving needs of New York across time.

Let's take a closer look!

Height
226m
Floors
54

Height & Size

Height
154m
Floors
39

The One Liberty Plaza Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 741ft (226m) with 54 floors above ground, while the United Nations Secretariat Building reaches 505ft (154m) with 39 floors above ground.

Of course, each project may have faced different briefs or regulatory constraints, which we don't really know about and could also explain the outcome.

Style
International Style

Architectural Style

Style
International Style

Both the One Liberty Plaza Building and the United Nations Secretariat Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the International Style style.

The One Liberty Plaza Building was designed at a moment when the International Style style was already in decline, making it more of a lingering expression of the movement. In contrast, the United Nations Secretariat Building style was already in decline, making it more of a lingering expression of the movement. In contrast, the United Nations Secretariat Building was built when the style still carried greater cultural weight.

Main use
Commercial

Uses

Main use
Governmental

The One Liberty Plaza Building is primarily commercial, while the United Nations Secretariat Building is primarily governmental.

The United Nations Secretariat Building also provides 1500 parking spaces.

Structure
Frame
Facade
Curtain Wall

Structure & Facade

Structure
Frame
Facade
Curtain Wall

Both the One Liberty Plaza Building and the United Nations Secretariat Building rely on a Frame structural system.

A frame structure uses a grid of columns and beams to carry the building's loads. This frees the walls from structural duties, allowing for flexible floor plans and larger windows.

They also employ the same type of facade, a Curtain Wall facade.

A curtain wall is a non-load-bearing facade hung from the structural frame. It is anchored to floor slabs and transfers only its own weight and wind loads, allowing for sleek, glassy exteriors.

One Liberty Plaza Building United Nations Secretariat Building
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Architect Wallace Harrison
1969 Construction Started 1949
1972 Year Completed 1951
International Style Architectural Style International Style
Commercial Current Use Governmental
54 Floors Above Ground 39
3 Floors Below Ground 3
214 Last Floor Height 141
226 m Height (m) 154 m
213,676 m² Usable Area (m²) 82,600 m²
Frame Structure Type Frame
Steel Vertical Structure Material Steel
Concrete And Steel Horizontal Structure Material Reinforced Concrete
Yes Facade Structural? No
Glass, Steel Main Facade Material Glass, Marble
NY State NY
New York City New York
165 Broadway Address 750 1st Avenue