The iconic Breuer Building in New York City, a celebrated example of urban Brutalism, will open its doors in late 2025 as the new global headquarters of Sotheby's auction house. The renowned Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron is leading the restoration of this architectural landmark, marking the latest chapter in the life of a structure that has continuously adapted to house some of the city's most significant art collections.
The restoration project, undertaken in collaboration with local firm Platt Byard Dovell White Architects (PBDW), follows a light-touch approach that carefully preserves Marcel Breuer's original design intentions. The architects are retaining the building's character-defining features, including the distinctive bush-hammered concrete walls, coffered ceilings, mahogany finishes, and bluestone floors. However, new interventions such as a discreetly inserted elevator and updated lighting systems are being implemented to improve accessibility, curatorial flexibility, and the overall visitor experience.
Originally completed in 1966 by Bauhaus-trained architect Marcel Breuer for the Whitney Museum of American Art, the building at 945 Madison Avenue was designed with its provocative inverted ziggurat form, recessed windows, and robust concrete facade. Since the Whitney's departure in 2014, the building has continued to serve the art world by temporarily housing collections from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Frick Collection.
Now, nearly 60 years after its original construction, Sotheby's is taking over as the building's new steward, preserving its cultural significance while introducing a groundbreaking change: offering free public access for the first time in the building's history. This transformation represents a shift from one segment of the art world to another, as the building moves from its museum origins to serve as an auction house headquarters.
According to Jacques Herzog of Herzog & de Meuron, the firm views this project as part of their long-standing practice of working with existing buildings. "We have always admired the Breuer Building," Herzog notes, describing it as "an architectural icon of postwar modernism." The design team approaches this intervention with both excitement and responsibility, similar to their earlier work on the Park Avenue Armory, aiming to restore lost spatial clarity while making the building relevant for contemporary audiences and functions.
The design team is embracing the building's inherent contradictions, maintaining the severe materiality of the lobby with its bronze, concrete, and wood finishes while integrating new vitrines and display counters that complement Breuer's original benches. On the gallery floors, Herzog & de Meuron is reinterpreting the irregular window openings as curatorial assets, using them to organize space and reestablish connections with the street below.
A key aspect of the renovation involves brightening the formerly dim interiors through sophisticated layered lighting strategies. These improvements will enable the building to support new media presentations and accommodate a wider range of exhibitions, expanding its capabilities beyond its original museum programming.
As New York City continues to grow and develop in all directions, the transformation of the Breuer Building offers an approach that values architectural heritage while adapting for future needs. The project demonstrates how historic structures can evolve to serve new purposes while maintaining their cultural significance and architectural integrity, ensuring that this striking Brutalist landmark remains a vital presence in the city's cultural landscape.
