W Hotel Times Square

Location Low Point

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The W was built on the site of a failed Planet Hollywood hotel during the aftermath of the dot-com crash and just months after 9/11, at a time when Times Square had become a place many New Yorkers avoided.

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Durable Novelty

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The goal was simple: to be dramatic without becoming spectacle. Dim lighting, reflective surfaces, and immersive textures created an atmosphere that was both intimate and electric. It established a new modern, minimalist definition of luxury—clean architectural lines paired with rich, moody tones and distinctive materials.

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Experience Elemental

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The design blurred the boundaries between hospitality, nightlife, and art, positioning the hotel as one of the first lifestyle destinations that offered an experience instead of just accommodation. Reception was located on the seventh floor, creating the atmosphere of a private club rather than a public common space. W Times Square drew New Yorkers in with nightlife that erased the lines between the city and the hotel.

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Sensory Driven Design

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The tunnel entrance has water cascading down on either side of guests to wash away the chaos outside. ''The idea was to create a sensual, cocoonlike, pared-down antidote to the frenetic pace of Times Square,''  

- Glenn Pushelberg.

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Formula Foundations

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This project proved that a hotel in a hyper-commercial neighborhood could feel both exclusive and immersive. Reaching occupancy targets within its first months, the concept demonstrated a winning formula. W went on to develop more than 70 hotels, with our foundational elements forming the core of its brand design guide.

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