The amazingly simple and gorgeous UN Headquarters complex in New York was constructed in stages with the core complex completed between 1948 and 1952. Rather than holding a competition for the design of the facilities for the United Nations Headquarters, the UN decided to commission a multinational team of leading architects to collaborate on the design. A Board of Design Consultants was composed of architects, planners and engineers nominated by member governments.

The board consisted of N. D. Bassov of the Soviet Union, Gaston Brunfaut (Belgium), Ernest Cormier (Canada), Le Corbusier (France), Liang Seu-cheng (China), Sven Markelius (Sweden), Oscar Niemeyer (Brazil), Howard Robertson (United Kingdom), G. A. Soilleux (Australia), and Julio Vilamajó (Uruguay). What a team!