UN Security Council Chamber Reopens

On April 16, the United Nations celebrated the reopening of the UN Security Council Chamber; 61 years after Norway presented the room as a gift to the UN and 3 years after it closed for restoration. The original 1952 design can be attributed to architect Arnstein Arneberg, though equal attention is given to artist Per Krohg and designer Else Poulsson for, respectively, the mural gracing the east wall and the Damask wallpaper covering the sides of what's often called "the most important room in the world."

Norway's involvement with the UN Security Council, at which it does not have a seat, is due to Trygve Lie, the first UN Secretary-General. He held the post from 1946 to 1953 and was instrumental in securing the Manhattan site for the headquarters and its various buildings—Secretariat, General Assembly, Dag Hammerskjöld Library, and the Conference building, in which the Security Council Chamber is located. He also made sure that Scandinavian countries were involved in furnishing all three Chambers in the Conference building, although of these the Security Council is the penultimate contribution to the United Nations.

The restoration work coincides with the larger UN Capital Master Plan, which involves renovating and modernizing office spaces in the various buildings and installing a new glass curtain wall on the Secretariat building, among other things. Completion of the master plan is set for 2014.