Lever House is a glass-and-steel office building at 390 Park Avenue in New York City, designed by Gordon Bunshaft and Natalie de Blois of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Completed in 1952, it was among New York’s first skyscrapers with a glass curtain wall and helped establish a new look for Park Avenue. Look for the building’s low-rise base and tall slab, then visit the courtyard, where temporary sculptures have included works by Claes Oldenburg. A restaurant inside serves Italian food in a setting with art by Damien Hirst.
A new look for Park Avenue
Completed in 1952, Lever House was designed by Gordon Bunshaft and Natalie de Blois of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for soap company Lever Brothers. Its glass exterior stood apart from the masonry buildings that then lined Park Avenue.
The building is an early example of International Style architecture in New York. Its curtain wall is made of windows without exterior ledges or decorative motifs. Lever House was the second structure in New York to use this type of facade, after the United Nations Building.
A slab above a low-rise base
Lever House’s composition pairs a tall vertical slab with a horizontal low-rise section beneath it. The upper part extends over the base, giving the structure its distinctive profile above the street.
The courtyard adds a changing element to the architecture. Temporary sculptures have included works by Claes Oldenburg, so the display can differ from one visit to another.
Dining inside Lever House
A restaurant inside the building serves Italian cuisine in a chic setting with art by Damien Hirst on the walls. The restaurant has been described as expensive, and truffles are one detail to look for on the menu. The available information does not specify particular dishes or prices.
Preguntas frecuentes
When was Lever House completed?
Lever House was completed in 1952.
Who designed Lever House?
Gordon Bunshaft and Natalie de Blois of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed it.
What is distinctive about Lever House’s architecture?
It is an early New York skyscraper with a glass curtain wall and a tall slab extending over a low-rise base.
What can you see in the courtyard?
The courtyard has temporary sculpture displays, including works by Claes Oldenburg.
