Rockwell Group’s redesign of W New York – Union Square marks its 25th anniversary and introduces W Hotels’ new global design direction. Inspired by Union Square Park and the building’s historic Beaux-Arts setting, the refreshed interiors blend heritage with contemporary energy through bold art, sculptural elements, and seasonally inspired palettes, positioning the hotel as a flagship for the brand’s future.
Project Info
Project Name: W New York – Union Square
Location: New York, USA
Architects/Designers: Rockwell Group
Marking 25 years since its original opening, W New York – Union Square has been transformed into a bold statement of renewal, heritage, and forward-looking hospitality. Led once again by Rockwell Group, the redesign not only celebrates a milestone anniversary but also launches W Hotels’ new global design direction, positioning this Manhattan landmark as the flagship for a worldwide rebrand.
Set within the historic Beaux-Arts Guardian Life Building, the hotel has long stood as a symbol of modern New York hospitality. Its distinctive four-storey mansard roof, echoing French Second Empire architecture, grounds the building in late-19th-century elegance. For Rockwell Group, returning to this project is deeply personal: the studio designed one of the very first W Hotels in 1998, followed shortly by W New York – Union Square in 2000, just steps from their own offices.
Drawing inspiration from Union Square Park – the cultural and social heart of the neighborhood – the redesign embraces contrast, seasonality, and urban energy. As guests arrive, the transition from city to hotel is choreographed through bold black-and-white houndstooth seating, veined marble floors, and a striking mural by Shantell Martin, whose expressive linework sets an empowering, contemporary tone.
A dramatic asymmetrical staircase becomes a sculptural centrepiece, wrapped in polished metal and animated by a bespoke rug that appears to cascade like liquid color. Referencing Faig Ahmed’s artwork Doubts, the rug’s swirling pattern guides guests upward toward the second-floor check-in, turning circulation into an experience.
At the core of the hotel lies the Living Room, a double-height space that was once a grand ballroom. Here, historic marble columns and ornate ceilings are preserved and re-energized with a vibrant palette of blues and oranges. A botanical resin bar and a double-height back bar introduce subtle Art Deco glamour, while doors open onto The Living Room Café – a green-toned lounge that brings the park’s foliage indoors, offering Devoción coffee by day and cocktails by night.
On the ground floor, Seahorse, a modern seafood brasserie by John McDonald and Mercer Street Hospitality, adds a culinary anchor to the hotel. Centered around a seafood bar, the restaurant blends zinc, warm wood, mother-of-pearl details, and a maritime-inspired mural by En Viu, celebrating New York’s historic relationship with the sea.
Guestrooms and suites reflect a softer, more intimate interpretation of the neighborhood’s rhythm. Botanical carpets, ombré wall coverings, and lacquered finishes shift from autumnal warmth to spring-like freshness. Spaces are zoned for both work and relaxation, punctuated by bold checkerboard minibars. In the E-Wow suites, gold-to-green gradients in drapery and walls create a luminous, immersive atmosphere, complemented by custom artworks from local artists.
From its flowing staircase to its ombré-lit suites, the renewed W New York – Union Square captures the spirit of its surroundings while embracing the optimism of a new generation of travellers. Rockwell Group’s return is both a tribute and a reinvention, honoring the past while setting a confident course for the future of W Hotels worldwide.
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