The Plan: 3 Times Square Wants to Create a Tranquil Oasis in a Sea of Chaos

When it comes to Times Square, the last words anyone would think of would be calm, tranquility and silence. But that’s exactly what FXCollaborative wants tenants and visitors of the office tower at Rudin’s 3 Times Square to think and feel upon entry after dodging tourists and costumed characters.

Between 2019 and 2024, FXCollaborative embarked on a mission to turn the 32-story structure, famously known as the Thomson Reuters Building, into an oasis of tranquility amid the sea of chaos that is Times Square.

To create this calming environment, FXCollaborative revamped the lobby to be a more warm and welcoming space. The firm also turned the 16th floor into an inviting sanctuary for tenants and their guests to enjoy a meal, work collaboratively, and even take in some art. (Seriously. They have a Warhol up there.) 

Climb out of the subway at 42nd Street and you’re immediately inundated with bright lights, slow-moving out-of-towners, a smell you can’t quite place, office workers on the move, police, sirens, and a guy in the creepiest Mickey Mouse costume you’ve ever seen shaking down tourists for a photo at 20 bucks a pop.

But when you enter 3 Times Square the vibes immediately shift. It’s quiet, the sounds from outside have been muted, and the warm color of the triple-height lobby welcomes guests. You’ll actually feel yourself release a relaxing breath, having escaped the madness just beyond the revolving doors.   

Above the doors is a special screen that Dan Kaplan, senior partner with FXCollaborative, described as “a piece of architectural jewelry,” which was designed to filter the natural outside light, as well as the glare from those gigantic Times Square billboards.

“Everything is perfectly done, custom, very finely engineered and very light,” Kaplan said. “It’s just so zen.”

Once they move up and onto the 16th floor, tenants can enjoy a spacious dining area and lounge overlooking Times Square along with a 200-person conference and event center. Walking through this space gives you the feeling of being in a NYC bistro or even a first-class lounge at the airport. It’s easy to forget you’re in an office tower.

“The idea was to create a space that’s people-centric, and we have this concept of coffee to cocktails,” said Florencia Kratsman, interior practice leader for FXCollaborative. “We didn’t want to create a cafeteria where people just come for lunch.”

And to create that calming oasis, the designers chose colors within the space that go from aqua to blue.

“The whole idea here is that you can be up in your office and have that feeling of ‘OK, I just have to get away to do some work,’ ” Kaplan said. “People like these third spaces. They’re not home, they’re not work, they’re in between, and to have that on site here is super great.”

Amanda Schiavo can be reached at aschiavo@commercialobserver.com.