Site Area : 34,093 m2

Building Area : 18,827 m2

Total Area : 68,819 m2

As a result of rapid urbanization, the city’s ecological environment is significantly worse. Hereby, the urban climate changes like city floods, groundwater depletion and the heat island phenomenon occur. In addition, due to the reduction of a lot of natural habitats for wild animals and the pollution of the spaces, urban ecosystems are also being destroyed. Moreover, disappearance of green spaces in the city drops natural air purification ability, so that the environment pollution is accumulated more and more. In conclusion, a main root of all these problems is a decrease of green spaces. In Manhattan, green spaces tend to be concentrated into the Central Park. Hereby, I would like to focus how to make more green spaces for the citizens and the city itself with using the strong character of Manhattan. In this respect, the end of the street within the grid system would have a lot of potentials for expanding green spaces. In relation with the site, the potential could be realized with some strategies.  On the other hand, the UN plot has been formed as an island different from other district within grid system, so that the plot blocks the continuity from public areas of the city. By breaking the island- area and returning the area to the city, the potential around the site can be emphasized combined with existing grid system.

This project is one of the UN headquarter buildings which has sustainable and educational functions in New York. The main target of this project was how to deal with urban context and sustainability. As solutions, the strong and natural connection from Manhattan’s central circulation to the riverside is suggested.   Specifically, When the surroundings of the site are observed, the end of the 47th street has a wider pavement so that a lot of trees can grow. Furthermore, a number of trees exist on the site. By not removing those trees but moving them to different areas on the site as well as extending the pavements by breaking the edge, linear green spaces can be formed toward the river. And the UN Headquarter for the sustainability can occupy on the rest of the sites. Consequently, the buildings would be separated into two parts. At the same time, a linear green space in the middle can be returned to public area within the grid system. Moreover, I introduced vertical garden system actively on the elevation and tree-like columns.   In interior spaces, tree-like column structures are suggested for making forest-like ambience.  Hereby, various scales of structures define all the spaces, depending on the characters.

Result : Honorable Mention for 2012 Msc TUDelft

Design by KIM MIN JAE