The studio designed the first W Hotel on Lexington Avenue in 1998.
Rockwell Group has revealed the redesign of W New York – Union Square, marking both the 25-year anniversary of the hotels opening and the launch of the brands new global design direction. Originally launched in 2000 within the historic Beaux-Arts Guardian Life Building, the hotel stands as a symbol of modern hospitality in New York.
For Rockwell Group, this project represents a meaningful return. The studio designed the first W Hotel on Lexington Avenue in 1998, followed by W New York – Union Square two years later, just steps from its own offices. Now, a quarter of a century on, Rockwell Group has returned to fully reimagine the property as the flagship for a multi-year global rebrand of W Hotels commissioned by Marriott International.
“W New York – Union Square was a milestone in our history when we first designed it 25 years ago,” says David Rockwell, Founder and President of Rockwell Group. “Revisiting the property today has allowed us to create a design that reflects both the brands evolution and the vibrancy of the Union Square neighbourhood. Its about honouring the past whilst introducing an experience that feels fresh, dynamic, and attuned to a new generation of guests.”
Union Square Park, the cultural and social centre of the neighbourhood, inspires the redesign. It is a tale of contrasts – geometric landmarks and contemporary art, historic mansard roofs, and lively farmers markets all inform a material and colour palette that changes with the seasons. As guests cross the threshold into the hotel, the arrival area serves as a smooth transition from street to hotel. The energy and bustle of urban life is reflected in the contrasting black and white of the houndstooth fabric banquette, veined marble floors, and a commissioned mural by artist Shantell Martin, whose empowerment-focused pieces make an entryway impact.
A showstopping, asymmetrical, curved feature staircase with polished metal contours features a bespoke rug that appears to flow down the stairs like swirls of paint. Inspired by the Faig Ahmed artwork “Doubts,” the rug uses an abstraction of the hotels collective colours, swirling into a larger pool at the check-in area, where it catches the eye; drawing people to the second floor.
At the heart of the hotel is the Living Room. Originally a ballroom, the double-height space has been energised with a palette of blue and orange. Marble columns and ornate ceilings are preserved, while a resin bar embedded with botanicals and a dramatic double-height back bar adds subtle Art Deco flair. A set of doors in the Living Room opens to the The Living Room Café, a lounge and casual workspace defined by a sophisticated, monochromatic palette of greens that bring the foliage and seasonality of the park inside.
On the ground floor of the hotel is Seahorse, a 130-seat modern seafood brasserie created in partnership with restaurateur John McDonald and Mercer Street Hospitality. Anchored by a central seafood bar, the restaurant features a zinc bar top, warm wood panelling, mother-of-pearl accents, and a mural by Brooklyn-based art collective En Viu celebrating New Yorks maritime history.
In guestrooms and suites, the colour palette shifts from autumnal warmth to spring freshness, expressed through botanical carpets, ombré wall coverings, and lacquered finishes.
Photo courtesy of Michael Kleinberg
