Rockwell Group was tapped to renovate and redesign the restaurant and lounge. For the redesign of this iconic rotating restaurant, we wanted to celebrate the interior architecture as both a stage and viewing platform. Drawing inspiration from the surrounding Theater District, we used plush fabrics and drapery to help define the circular floors, adding dimension and variety throughout the dining experience. A chevron patterned wood wallcovering by Maya Romanoff installed on both levels adds a warm texture throughout.

We also wanted to emphasize and acknowledge the physical rotation of space. On both floors, a series of overlapping concentric circles on the ceiling create points of reference that are constantly changing as the restaurant makes its hourly revolutions. These arcing paths were inspired by the activity down below at Times Square—the constant movement and choreography of cars, trains, and people. Two kinds of metallic paint—one matte and one more reflective—add luminosity and depth. The direct entrance to The View is located on the 3rd floor of the hotel.

A custom millwork host stand sits beneath a curved portal entryway where a host escorts guests to a set of glass bubble elevators that provide a full view of the 40+ story atrium and zoom up to the arrival at the 48th floor. The 48th floor arrival is dark and moody, evoking a theater entrance. Luxurious velvet drapes in Joseph Urban blue—the famed stage designer’s trademark shade of blue, which is used throughout the restaurant as a theatrical throughline—line the wall behind the host stand and nod to the grandeur of classic stage curtains.

The large circle rug defining the host area is Spotlight Silver by David Rockwell for The Rug Company. Featuring dark wool on the exterior that fades into a pale silk center, the rug seems to emanate a silvery glow through its subtle gradient. The faceted, burl wood host stand has an Art Deco feel (a source of inspiration we used sparingly at critical moments) and sits in front a custom screen designed in collaboration with Amara Payton McNeil, a graduate of the American Theatre Wing’s Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative.

The screen consists of five panels, each depicting an illustration of a detail of the facades of five different Broadway theaters: Gaiety Theater, Music Box, Marquis, Imperial, and Richard Rodgers. The illustrations are rendered in hues of blue and red to reflect the 47th and 48th floor palette with splashes of metallic gold. The silver-beaded screen is framed in metal. The 48th floor is dedicated to special cocktails, drinks, and small plates for a lively lounge atmosphere. To the left of the main host desk is a secondary host stand, located across from the dramatic raw bar with full sightlines to the chefs.

The faceted raw bar pulls inspiration from the neighborhood’s Art Deco buildings, creating a focal point and moment to celebrate the action of food preparation. A lower level along the perimeter of the 48th floor is accessible by several ramps. Four long, sinuous banquettes, which can each seat up to 24, provide an intimate gathering area for guests to host private events. Two-top tables that can be combined into four-tops, as well as smaller circular seating groupings, flank the banquettes and provide flexibility and additional lounging options.

The cocktail bar is the jewel of the floor, making full use of the double height space that goes from 8’6” to 21’. To ensure that every seat in the house has a view of the city skyline, we conceived our own backbar skyline — a luminous architectural marvel that pulls inspiration from theater and film set design from 1920s, ‘30s, and ‘40s. A gentle curve creates a forced perspective, as if one is looking up from street level, while ribbed glass, antique mirror, and warm champagne metals convey a sense of unlimited depth.

Suspended above the center of the bar is a custom globe-shaped oversize pendant, made from faux alabaster stone and hammered champagne metal, evoking the magic of a full moon over Manhattan. A winding staircase leads to the main dining room on the 47th floor. A cascading light fixture with exposed cables references backstage elements and casts a warm glow on the shimmering Venetian plaster wallcovering lining the interior stair wall. The shift from the ultra-blue carpet of the 48th floor to a scarlet red carpet that begins at the top of the stairs and extends down throughout the 47th floor helps transition guests to a warmer-toned dining environment.

Faceted antique mirrors reflect the skyline and augment it for varied perspectives as guests experience the rotation. A piano niche cloaked with rich blue velvet drapery offers a surprise in the shallow depth of the restaurant core—some guests may hear the music before discovering the source. We imagined The View as a place where Broadway casts and crews will come to unwind after hours for a drink or two – impromptu musical performances encouraged. Rockwell Group designed fully custom tabletops, chairs, banquettes, and bar stools.

Tabletops are made of the same burl wood as the host stand, chosen for its swirling patterns. Smaller tables can be reconfigured into longer ones for private or communal dining. The corridor to the restrooms and ADA elevator features a custom wallcovering by Samantha Tutasi, a former instructor for the American Theatre Wing’s Springboard to Design program. The wallcovering depicts an Art Deco-inspired, geometric interpretation of the NYC skyline and street plan, with lines forming a map of select theaters spanning across Manhattan that have historically housed productions focused on telling the stories of underrepresented communities.

Blocks of gold fill mark nine theaters along the wall: Olympia, Marquis, Winter Garden, Longacre, 63rd St., Richard Rodgers, Bowery, Niblo’s Garden, and African Grove Theatre. The silver flecked blue background pulls inspiration from marble veining and patina, manufactured by HD Walls. Due to the rotating nature of the restaurant, and the requirement that all guests have an unobstructed view of the skyline, there are no enclosed private dining rooms in The View. However, we have designed a series of semi-private dining areas demarcated by sofas and a credenza on either end.

There are two 8-person PDRs and two convertible 12-person PDRs, all featuring tables with a burl wood tapestry veneer.