Painted aluminum and steel lamp from the 1952 United Nations Conference Building. Designed by U.N. Headquarters Planning office under the direction of Abel Sorenson. Produced by Koch & Lowy Mfg. Co. Peppered along the corridors outside of the conference rooms, these triple stem lamps were a distinctive landmark of the building.

One of the most historic commissions of the 20th century, the design of the U.N. Building was inspired by Le Corbusier’s vision and seen through by architect Wallace Harrison. The building is regarded today as one of the pinnacles of mid-century modernism. Its magnificent public spaces and assembly halls, as well as its impressive collection of artworks by Chagal, Henry Moore, and many others, make it one of the most visited sites in New York.