SDG Lounge

A long-term platform for dialogue, not a temporary installation

UN Office for Partnerships
United Nations Headquarters, New York · 2025–

MODA Role

Creative Direction · Spatial Strategy · Experience Design

Context

The SDG Lounge is a central convening space during the United Nations General Assembly—designed to host high-level conversations, partnerships, and programming aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

For 2025, the mandate expanded beyond hosting an event. The Lounge was envisioned as a true, functioning environment—one capable of serving the UN Office for Partnerships on an ongoing basis, well beyond a single General Assembly cycle.

Scope & Contribution

MODA led the creative direction and experiential strategy for the SDG Lounge with a clear directive: nothing would be designed for ephemeral use.

Although the Lounge operates within an event context, every decision—spatial, material, and programmatic—was made with long-term viability in mind.

Our work included:

• Designing a spatial system intended for multi-year use

• Specifying furniture and scenic elements selected for durability, adaptability, and reuse

• Creating an environment capable of supporting panels, private meetings, and informal exchange without reconfiguration waste

• Developing a calm, legible architectural language that could live comfortably within the UN campus year-round

The Lounge was designed to remain in active use for a minimum of two years, with the intention that it continues beyond that horizon.

Sustainability as Infrastructure

Sustainability was treated as a design constraint, not a messaging layer.

Rather than temporary builds or single-use scenic elements, the Lounge was conceived as a lasting interior—one that minimizes waste by eliminating the need for annual rebuilds.

In this context, sustainability meant:

• Longevity over novelty

• Reuse over replacement

• Systems over spectacle

The result is an environment that supports the SDGs not just in content, but in practice.

Outcome

The SDG Lounge functions as a permanent, adaptable platform—capable of evolving with programming needs while maintaining its architectural and experiential integrity.

It demonstrates how event-driven spaces can be designed responsibly: as real environments, not disposable moments.

Attribution

This project was developed in collaboration with the UN Office for Partnerships. MODA’s role reflects individual creative leadership and authorship.