The project undertaken by Herzog & de Meuron involved the meticulous rehabilitation of this historic building, transforming it into a new space for exhibitions and auctions. Throughout the restoration process, particular attention was paid to the architect's original vision. Key elements of the original design, such as the blue stone floors, coffered concrete ceilings, sculptural staircase, and custom finishes in the lobby, were preserved. These were complemented by necessary and well-considered interventions that improve accessibility, spatial flexibility, security, and the visitor experience.
Breuer Building is a stunning architectural icon of postwar modernism, a work of art admired by all enthusiasts of modern architecture.
The renovation emphasized its long-term adaptability, creating a new layered lighting strategy, eliminating former office spaces, and improving exhibition possibilities and installation processes. These processes are further optimized by a new rear freight elevator that streamlines installations without disrupting the flow of visitors.
![Sotheby’s fourth-floor Breuer galleries, featuring Gustav Klimt’s Blooming Meadow (Blumenwiese), Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer (Bildnis Elisabeth Lederer) and Waldabhang bei Unterach am Attersee (Forest Slope in Unterach on the Attersee), from The Leonard A. Lauder Collection [left to right]. Photography by Stefan Ruiz Courtesy of Sotheby’s.](/sites/default/files/inline-images/metalocus_handdm_breuer-building-sothebys_02.jpg)
Sotheby’s fourth-floor Breuer galleries, featuring Gustav Klimt’s Blooming Meadow (Blumenwiese), Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer (Bildnis Elisabeth Lederer) and Waldabhang bei Unterach am Attersee (Forest Slope in Unterach on the Attersee), from The Leonard A. Lauder Collection [left to right]. Photography by Stefan Ruiz Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
The transformation of the Breuer Building is the result of a close and creative collaboration between the design team and Sotheby’s, united by a shared commitment to preserving Breuer’s architectural legacy and, at the same time, re-establishing the building as a new cultural landmark in New York City.
“After a few intense months of renovation and reconstruction focused mainly on interior spaces, the Breuer Building, an extraordinary icon of postwar modernism, is open again for New Yorkers and visitors as an exceptional space to experience art. Paradoxically, our strongest architectural contribution to this building was to remain quasi-invisible, as if everything had always been there, as it presents itself at the opening today. The beauty and clarity of Breuer’s original work radiates—also in its new function—and ensures its relevance for future generations.”
Jacques Herzog
Sotheby’s new global headquarters in the iconic Marcel Breuer building in New York. Photography by Stefan Ruiz. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Project description by Herzog & de Meuron
Since its opening in 1966, the Breuer Building has stood as a sanctuary for art, embodying architect Marcel Breuer’s vision to “transform the vitality of the street into the sincerity and profundity of art.” A leading figure of the Bauhaus movement, Breuer realized the integration of modern technology and artistic expression in this iconic structure, originally designed for the Whitney Museum of American Art. Its bold, inverted ziggurat form establishes a distinct presence and engages in dynamic dialogue with the urban surroundings.
The adaptation of the Breuer Building is guided by a deep respect for its architectural significance and its enduring role as a temple to art. Over the decades, it has housed some of New York’s most significant art collections—from the Whitney to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, to the Frick, and soon, important works slated for auction at Sotheby‘s. The building readily lends itself to this next chapter as an art auction house, with many iconic spaces and programmatic uses remaining intact. The restoration follows a light-touch approach, preserving defining features while introducing subtle upgrades to meet Sotheby’s functional and operational needs, while honouring Marcel Breuer’s original design. Each found space is scrutinized and re-evaluated for its architectural and programmatic value, shaping an experience of the building that honours both continuity and transformation. The project underscores the role of preservation in safeguarding a cultural landmark while ushering it into its next era.
The overarching goal of the renovation is to amplify the building’s historical and material legacy while preparing it for use as a premier exhibition and auction venue. Defining elements—such as the bluestone floors, coffered concrete ceilings, sculptural staircase, and bespoke lobby elements and finishes—are preserved, while sensitive interventions enhance accessibility, spatial flexibility, and visitor experience.
Lobby
Breuer’s original lobby materials and atmosphere are retained, with select elements reinterpreted to support new functions. Benches and surface counters are transformed into display platforms and vitrines, creating a dialogue between past and present. Subtle insertions complement the existing palette of mahogany, bronze, and bushhammered concrete. Enhanced exterior lighting—including the canopy’s underside and the building’s facade—restores its social presence as a luminous beacon within the streetscape, echoing Breuer’s original vision.
Galleries
Gallery floors have been reimagined to maximize curatorial potential. A layered lighting strategy combines focused spotlights with ambient illumination, addressing formerly dim interiors and accommodating various media and exhibition scales. Each floor plan responds to Breuer’s distinctive window openings, transforming them into architectural anchors that strengthen the connection between interior and exterior. Previously inaccessible galleries have been reopened and modernized to support a broader range of exhibitions.
The renovation emphasizes long-term adaptability and includes the careful insertion of a new elevator within the service area of the building footprint, enabling faster installation timelines, more diverse programming, and expanded visitor capacity. Flexible gallery infrastructure ensures the building can continue to evolve alongside future curatorial demands.
The transformation of the Breuer building is the result of a close, creative partnership between the design team and Sotheby’s, united by a shared commitment to preserving Breuer’s architectural legacy while reestablishing the building as a renewed cultural landmark in New York City.
![Sotheby’s fourth-floor Breuer galleries, featuring Gustav Klimt’s Blooming Meadow (Blumenwiese), Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer (Bildnis Elisabeth Lederer) and Waldabhang bei Unterach am Attersee (Forest Slope in Unterach on the Attersee), from The Leonard A. Lauder Collection [left to right]. Photography by Stefan Ruiz Courtesy of Sotheby’s.](/sites/default/files/2025-11/metalocus_handdm_breuer-building-sothebys_02.jpg "Sotheby’s fourth-floor Breuer galleries, featuring Gustav Klimt’s Blooming Meadow (Blumenwiese), Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer (Bildnis Elisabeth Lederer) and Waldabhang bei Unterach am Attersee (Forest Slope in Unterach on the Attersee), from The Leonard A. Lauder Collection [left to right]. Photography by Stefan Ruiz Courtesy of Sotheby’s.")
![Sotheby’s third-floor Breuer galleries, featuring works from the Modern Evening Auction, highlighted by Dorothea Tanning's Interior with Sudden Joy, Frida Kahlo's El sueño (La cama), and Victor Brauner's Maison hantée [left to right].. Photography by Stefan Ruiz Courtesy of Sotheby’s.](/sites/default/files/2025-11/metalocus_handdm_breuer-building-sothebys_08.jpg "Sotheby’s third-floor Breuer galleries, featuring works from the Modern Evening Auction, highlighted by Dorothea Tanning's Interior with Sudden Joy, Frida Kahlo's El sueño (La cama), and Victor Brauner's Maison hantée [left to right].. Photography by Stefan Ruiz Courtesy of Sotheby’s.")
