Seagram Building vs United Nations Secretariat Building

Comparing the Seagram 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, Mies van der Rohe and Wallace Harrison, and were completed at different points in time. They were finished more than 7 years 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!

These two towers present an interesting contrast in their proportions. The Seagram Building rises higher at 515ft (157m), while the United Nations Secretariat Building reaches 505ft (154m). However, the United Nations Secretariat Building accommodates more floors with 39 levels above ground, compared to 38 floors in the Seagram Building.

This suggests different approaches to interior space design. The Seagram Building has an average floor-to-floor height of approximately 4.1m, while the United Nations Secretariat Building has more compact floors averaging around 3.9m each.

These different proportions likely reflect the specific needs each building was designed to serve, whether driven by zoning regulations, client requirements, or the intended use of the spaces within. The contrast shows how architects can achieve different spatial experiences even when working with similar overall building scales.

Both the Seagram 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 Mies van der Rohe 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.

The Seagram Building is primarily commercial, while the United Nations Secretariat Building is primarily governmental.

The United Nations Secretariat Building also provides 1500 parking spaces.

Both the Seagram 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.