United Nations headquarters iconic building in New York City
Select your license:

Questions about the subject, usage, technology & more
Who designed the UN Secretariat Building in New York City?
The UN Secretariat Building was designed by an international team of architects including Le Corbusier, Oscar Niemeyer, and Wallace Harrison as executive architect. Completed in 1952, the 39-story glass-and-marble curtain wall tower was groundbreaking for its time and became one of the most influential modernist skyscrapers in the world.
How can this photo be used?
This photo is suited for contexts covering diplomacy, international politics, and global institutions. Thanks to the commercial license on Kataloop, it can be used in annual reports, political magazines, educational platforms, or NGO websites, among other applications. The resolution of 1535 x 2255 pixels also supports clean use in printed publications.
What mood does this photo convey?
The steep low-angle perspective makes the building appear monumental and distant. The sun reflecting off the glass facade creates an almost abstract effect, while the flagpoles in the foreground evoke order and international protocol. Overall, the image conveys institutional authority without dramatic exaggeration.
What equipment was used to capture this photo?
Captured on film with the Minolta X-700, one of the most popular 35mm SLRs of the 1980s. Its precise exposure automation and bright viewfinder made it well-suited for architectural shots like this upward view of the UN Secretariat tower. The characteristic film grain gives the image a timeless, documentary quality that is rarely achieved with digital cameras.
What visual style or trend does this photo represent?
Analog photography is experiencing a broad revival in visual communication. The visible film-grain aesthetic signals authenticity and serves as a deliberate counterpoint to the flood of AI-generated imagery. At the same time, demand for archival images of international institutions is rising, as topics like multilateral cooperation and global governance regain prominence in media and corporate communications.
Photographed from ground level, the glass Secretariat tower of the UN Headquarters rises almost vertically into the pale blue sky. The complex on the East River in Turtle Bay, Manhattan, occupies international territory not belonging to any US state. Visitors can join guided tours and see the General Assembly Hall. The member-state flags lining the entrance plaza are among the most photographed details of the entire site.
United Nations headquarters, New York City skyline
New York City is one of the most photographed cities on earth, and every borough brings its own visual identity. While Midtown delivers iconic skyscrapers like the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building, Brooklyn and Williamsburg offer street art and industrial textures. Hudson River Park and the High Line provide open-air backdrops with skyline views. For editorial and commercial campaigns alike, New York remains an inexhaustible visual resource.