Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has completed the restoration works for Lever House, one of New York’s Modernist landmarks. The building was completed in 1952, following SOM’s design. At that time, architecture critic Reyner Banham said of the building “it gave architectural expression to an age just as the age was being born.” Since then, SOM has retained a level of stewardship, revisiting the building and ensuring that the restoration works preserve the original image without compromising contemporary standards of performance.
When it was completed, Lever House was among the first skyscrapers to use glass curtain walls, marking a definitive shift from the aesthetic of masonry buildings. Consequently, it gained landmark status just 30 years after completion, in 1982, demonstrating a change of attitude towards the preservation of modern heritage. In 2001, SOM began the renovation of the facades, using high-performance materials while preserving the original architectural image.
Last year, SOM announced new restoration works, this time concerning the ground floor and the third-level terrace, as well as the mechanical systems to improve the energy performance of the building. The revitalized project includes a restored lobby and ground floor plaza, as well as the transformation of the 15,000 square feet of third-floor terrace, which are now part of the Lever Club, an indoor-outdoor hospitality suite with interiors designed by Marmol Radziner.
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SOM Returns to Lever House as Its Restoration ArchitectThrough the restoration work, private and public spaces have been provided with infrastructural upgrades, including a DOAS system that improves energy performance while maximizing ceiling height. The upgrades also include a dedicated outdoor air system, new chillers, HEPA filters, and an automated building management system. Additionally, the plaza has received a cast-in-place concrete finish matching the design of the original exterior paving. The recognizable stainless-steel columns have also been refinished, as has the Champlain black marble. Long-lasting LED lights have replaced the original lighting while maintaining its aperture and image.
This renovation brings Lever House into the 21st century. With completely updated plaza and outdoor spaces, a fully restored lobby, and brand new mechanical systems throughout the building that improve its energy efficiency, we’ve modernized this midcentury icon to its original splendor, to make it, once again, Park Avenue’s premier boutique office building. - SOM Partner Chris Cooper
In the original arrival area, the terrazzo flooring was repaired and refinished, and the glass mosaic in the elevator vestibule was thoroughly cleaned. The interventions continue to the upper floors. Landscape architecture firm Reed Hildebrand reimagined the landscape program across the property, utilizing native plantings throughout.
The project is a primary example of how we can extend the life, vitality, and sustainability of our existing buildings—which ultimately is the most sustainable thing we can do as a culture. - SOM Partner Ken Lewis
During the 2023 Chicago Architecture Biennial, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) presented an eco-friendly alternative to traditional concrete, crafted from naturally carbon-absorbing microalgae subjected to a photosynthetic bio-cementation process. The internationally recognized office has also unveiled the design for a new net-zero campus located on Governors Island, New York, planned to become an anchor institution for the development of new climate solutions.
