United Nations Secretariat

                                                Source: WorldIslandInfo.com
Although it is taken for granted by many, the United Nations Secretariat stands unique along the East River in New York City.  Its International Style design has certainly helped pave the way for other modern skyscrapers such as, the Lever House and the Seagram Building which are also in New York.  


The United Nations was established in 1945 to foster a safer and healthier world for all following the ravages of World War II.  In 1946, the United Nations sought a permanent international home for its new headquarters.  John D. Rockefeller Jr. donated the 18 acres of land which would become international territory.  An international team of architects were selected for the design committee.  "The most notable of the architects were Oscar Niemeyer, Le Corbusier and Wallace K. Harrison."1  Furthermore, "(t)he international style was chosen by the board members as it symbolized a new start after the Second World War. A plan by Le Corbusier, known as project 23A, was taken as the basis for the design ... the final plan 23W, drawn up by Oscar Niemeyer was adopted by all members of the board. It consists of a complex with 4 buildings: the Secretariat building, the General Assembly building, the Conference building and the Dag Hammarskjold Library."1   After the groundbreaking in 1947, the United Nations Secretariat was completed in 1952.

The UN complex is currently undergoing a four-year renovation that will strive to keep the mid-century modern aesthetic intact while hoping to vastly improve the carbon footprint and infrastructure.  The following WNYC video highlights the building and renovation goals:



Sources and other material:
A View on Cities - United Nations HQ
The UN's Extreme Makeover by Jennifer Hsu 
Fixing The World: How Do You Renovate The United Nations? Diplomatically. 

Mid-Century Travel Poster Art

Travel anyone? Travel during the mid-century modern era was made easier by the burgeoning airline industry.  The introduction of the Douglas DC-8 and the Boeing 707 jets in the late fifties, helped shorten the world by literally leaps and bounds.  The jet age ushered in a new class of traveler: the “jet set.”  The “jet set” exemplified modern travel and luxury.  Airlines quickly capitalized on avant-garde modern motifs in their advertisements and travel posters to lure in passengers.   The artists who created these iconic pieces of art captured the timeless feel and excitement of the jet age.  Now collector’s items, these posters still evoke a sense of modern adventure.

Among the many mid-century era travel artists, a few clearly stood apart such as, David Klein, Stan Galli, and Tom Hayne.  David Klein painted the famous Fifth Avenue night scene for TWA’s New York poster which captured the nightlife in a simple colorful cubist style.  Klein created several other equally modern posters that transported you visually to faraway places and exotic locales.   Stan Galli painted equally exciting posters for United Air Lines, but perhaps none more exciting as seen in the captivating Hawaii outrigger poster.  Tom Hayne, another artist commissioned by United, painted travel scenes that emphasized modern architecture such as the twin Marina City towers in Chicago.  Another United poster features a unique perspective: faint sailboats on Lake Michigan as viewed between the two Mies van der Rohe designed Internationalist Style Lake Shore Drive apartments in Chicago. 

Original posters can be quite pricey; however, inexpensive reproductions can be purchased online.  Moreover, what better way to travel back in time by seeing these classics on your wall.