Trusteeship Council Chamber, UNNY086G.01, 1953, Denmark
Title

Trusteeship Council Chamber

Gift ID: 
UNNY086G.01

When the UN Headquarters were constructed in the early 1950s, the first Secretary-General of the UN, Trygve Lie (1896 – 1968) of Norway, invited Denmark to design the Trusteeship Council Chamber interior. The government of Denmark commissioned Danish architect Finn Juhl to design the chamber. Juhl designed everything in the Chamber as a comprehensive whole, including the colorful ceiling, curtains, wall paneling, carpeting, lamps, and chairs. 

The room has a horseshoe-shaped seating arrangement, which is an egalitarian approach to show that all the members are on the same level. In the delegates area, the walls are lined with ash wood to improve the acoustics. There are clear, contrasting colors to decorate the air-conditioning units in the latticed ceilings. The multicolored striped carpet, curtains, railing doors and latticed ceiling were made in Denmark. The ceiling colors echo the striped carpet.

With close collaboration between the UN and the Danish government, the Trusteeship Council Chamber was completely restored and updated with new furniture created by Danish design duo Kasper Salto and Thomas Sigsgaard. The designers said, "Our motto has been letting the furniture add to the existing room by having them consist of as few elements and parts as possible. Respecting the room and the consequent use of wood in the room.”

On April 25, 2013, during the ceremonial re-opening of the chamber, HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark said, “As this refurbished Chamber symbolizes, Danish Design combines the qualities of being modern, cosmopolitan, democratic and respectful of human beings - it considers our immediate daily needs, as well as our complex cultural histories and dreams of a brighter future." UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon described the chamber as an “inclusive room” that facilitates communication and dialogue. 

Donor Region: 
Western European and Other Groups
Donor: 
Denmark
Classification: 
Architecture & Mosaics
Materials: 
Furniture
Medium: 
Chamber (including furniture, wall covering, and all interior architectural elements)
Location (Building): 
Conference Building (CB)
Location floor: 
2nd Floor
Donation Date: 
December 31, 1953
Artist or Maker: 
Finn Juhl
Dimensions: 
50 m. x 25 m., 9 m. high