sauerbruch hutton and Studio Gang Selected to Redesign German House in New York

sauerbruch hutton and Studio Gang have been jointly selected to lead a comprehensive renovation of German House in New York following an international competition. Situated within United Nations Plaza, German House is home to the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations, and their affiliated cultural partners. The renovation will optimize the building’s environmental performance, enhance staff and visitor experience through strategic program changes, and radically transform the building’s façade.

Two Design-Led Practices, One Shared Conviction

sauerbruch hutton will serve as Lead Designer. Studio Gang will serve as General Planner and Architect of Record, leading the project’s delivery and ensuring it is executed to the highest quality. German House marks the first joint project between sauerbruch hutton and Studio Gang. Both firms share a commitment to design excellence and sustainable architecture.

Three Ambitions

Three ambitions guide the design.

The first is to deliver a building that, in representing Germany’s democratic values of participation, transparency and freedom, presents an architecture that feels open, generous and inviting to everyone who works there or visits–whether for consular services, a cultural event or diplomatic exchange. Standing just north of the United Nations, the German House is the permanent representation of the Federal Republic of Germany. This new design will display the latest German engineering in sustainable construction before a global audience. Building-integrated photovoltaics, situated on the best-exposed façade elements, will generate renewable energy on site. Further, a box-window system will integrate high-performance solar shading within the façade, preserving views and meeting security requirements. All while–true to a certain national instinct, as well as that of the two practices–letting occupants open their windows high above street level for natural ventilation.

The second is to develop an outstanding workplace, one where staff feel connected to the country they represent and where they can work enjoyably and effectively throughout the day. At mid-tower, a sky lobby with a vertical garden offers a shared realm for both work and social encounter. This particular place becomes a symbolic meeting point for the Consulate General and the U.N. Mission, anchoring the building’s theme of synergy across its distinct programs.

The third is the creation of a civic landmark: the tower will offer its emblematic presence both at street level and within its immediate setting of city towers. Rather than building anew, the project transforms what is already there, reducing embodied carbon while vastly improving both the fabric of the building and the comfort of staff and visitors alike. At the top of the tower, a new restaurant across the 24th and 25th floors opens onto a sheltered roof terrace with panoramic views across the city and East River. Here, a lightweight garden pavilion enables informal gatherings and facilitates the hosting of events. The tower’s distinctive, colored façade will give German House a strong identity as it integrates the building into the city and its skyline.

Statement of the Design Partners

“We believe that our collaboration with Studio Gang will be a creative one, leading to an overall enrichment of the design. Alongside technical innovation in the interior and on the façades, we will create particular atmospheres inside and out that will bring an unmistakable identity to German House New York,” said Louisa Hutton, Founding Partner at sauerbruch hutton. Lina Lahiri, Partner at sauerbruch hutton, added: “For our practice, this is an exciting moment: our first project in the United States, set in the heart of Manhattan. Through careful transformation rather than replacement, the tower is adapted to encourage exchange across departments while extending the life of the building for decades to come. It’s a chance to show what our office can bring to high-rise architecture and reuse, together with Studio Gang’s complementary expertise and deep knowledge of building in New York.”

“We look forward to working with the Bundesbau Baden-Württemberg and sauerbruch hutton to help reimagine German House as a more welcoming and sustainable model for civic architecture in New York and within the international diplomatic community,” said Jeanne Gang, Founding Partner at Studio Gang. “This project, which holds cultural exchange at its heart, is an exciting opportunity to bring together German design expertise with the proven project delivery in New York City. Studio Gang has served as the architect of record for a range of our projects in New York, which is one of our home cities, and we are excited to bring sauerbruch hutton’s design vision to life through technical rigor and a deep sense of care for the people who use this building and the city around it.”

Statement of the Jury

“[T]he jury considers that this proposal demonstrates a high level of architectural and design quality, with a clear and functional organization that will result in a contemporary, efficient, and sustainable building. Above all, it will be capable of representing the Federal Republic of Germany in New York and at the United Nations through an architecture that is original, optimistic, transparent, and accessible, fully aware of the role this building plays within this context.” — Statement of the Competition Jury