Project Description
W Times Square was an amazing opportunity to take an internationally known brand and create a vision for their future; however it was not without challenges. Most of the challenges were physical. The lobby is on the 7th floor, the space has no windows or natural light, the ceilings relatively low there are large columns interrupting the space. In addition to the physical challenges, there is a complex set of programmatic goals that the space needs to accommodate. Since the space is the hub for all activity in the hotel from guest check in, to bar, to individual and co-working environment, to a lounge and nightlife space, the space needed to be flexible while offering multiple levels of experience and privacy. The challenges allowed us opportunities to come up with creative solutions and use the limitations of the space to create a better project.
In order to allow the space to accommodate the programmatic flexibility we made all of the furniture modular so that it could be moved and reconfigured and ultimately moved out for large events. Throughout the day the space needed to have different feelings from coffee in the morning to working during the day, to afternoon cocktails, to a nightlife venue with live DJ late night. All of the design features in the room evolve throughout the day to support this progression in activity and mood. When guests arrive in the morning, the Welcome Desk Wall and VIP Wall appear as subtle smoked glass mirrors however as the day progresses, a series of 1,269 LED lights come alive with an animated video program, complete with countdown clock to New Year’s Eve. When the space transitions from afternoon bar to lounge and nightlife, the bronze and dichroic glass screen at the end of the room revolves to reveal a DJ booth. The back bar transitions from smoked mirror to a 40’ neon installation as the day progresses.