Situated on the north lawn of the United Nation’s campus in New York, a Porte Cochere serves as a temporary entrance for general assembly delegates.

Built by FTL Design, the futuristic design of the Porte Cochere pavilion contrasts dramatically with the old and historical UN buildings which surround this exceptional construction.

Being the first point of contact for UN delegates arriving at general assemblies, this temporary pavilion has a vital role to play in providing great first impressions about the UN to some of the most important political and humanitarian figures from around the world.

Although Porte Cochere is only a temporary construction whilst the original historical building is being renovated, architects working on the pavilion have excelled in designing an economical, ecological and grandly aesthetical structure.

This elegant entrance has been made from the minimalist of materials, which, not only ensured costs remained low, but also means that Porte Cochere can be easily moved.

The design offers a modern entrance to the historical buildings of the UN’s New York campus, the porte cochere design dates back to the late 18^th century.

During this time many mansions and public buildings, including the White House in Washington DC and Buckingham Palace in London, featured a Porte Cochere, which is the architectural term for a porch or portico-like structure at the entrance of a building.

Popular in the Renaissance, the Porte Cochere gateways are a common feature of palaces built during the reign of Kings Louis XIV and XV of France and were originally intended to the large enough to accommodate a horse and carriage in order to provide shelter for those disembarking the vehicle.

FTL Design’s contemporary version of the Porte Cochere, explores lightness as a physical, visual and sustainable approach, which drew its inspiration from the surrounding landscape, utilising the contours of the campus.

Considering the pavilion is only meant to be temporary, FTL Design has secured a considerable amount of interest in its design, meaning we could see more Porte Cochere designs popping up around cities in the future.

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