One Chase Manhattan Plaza Building vs United Nations Secretariat Building

One Chase Manhattan Plaza Building
United Nations Secretariat Building

Comparing the One Chase Manhattan 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 more than a decade 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
248m
Floors
60

Height & Size

Height
154m
Floors
39

The One Chase Manhattan Plaza Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 814ft (248m) with 60 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 Chase Manhattan Plaza Building and the United Nations Secretariat Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the International Style style.

At the time, this style was at the height of its popularity. So both Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Wallace Harrison followed what was in many ways expected of them, producing designs that fit comfortably within contemporary architectural norms, rather than breaking with convention.

Main use
Commercial

Uses

Main use
Governmental

The One Chase Manhattan 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
Framed Tube In Tube
Facade
Curtain Wall

Structure & Facade

Structure
Frame
Facade
Curtain Wall

The two towers rely on different structural systems, reflecting distinct engineering strategies.

The One Chase Manhattan Plaza Building uses a Framed Tube In Tube structural system, which combines a strong central core with a perimeter tube of columns, while the United Nations Secretariat Building uses a Frame system, that relies on a regular grid of columns and beams to sustain its weight.

Yet, when it comes to their facade, they both employed the same solution, 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 Chase Manhattan Plaza Building United Nations Secretariat Building
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Architect Wallace Harrison
1955 Design Started 1947
1957 Construction Started 1949
1961 Year Completed 1951
International Style Architectural Style International Style
Commercial Current Use Governmental
60 Floors Above Ground 39
5 Floors Below Ground 3
248 m Height (m) 154 m
Framed Tube In Tube Structure Type Frame
Steel Vertical Structure Material Steel
Reinforced Concrete Horizontal Structure Material Reinforced Concrete
Yes Facade Structural? No
Aluminum, Glass Main Facade Material Glass, Marble
Isamu Noguchi Collaborating Artist Per Krohg
NY State NY
New York City New York
28 Liberty Street Address 750 1st Avenue