New York Times Building

Sustainability and transparency are the two key qualities that inspired Renzo Piano when he was designing the new headquarters for the New York Times. The 52-floor building is 228 metres high and stands in Times Square with its main entrance on Eighth Avenue. To create the New York Times Building's pure and simple geometry, the Italian architect opted to use an original combination of glass, steel and ceramics. Its steel frame is covered by a glass wall screened by horizontal extruded ceramic rods that act as louvers. The result is a kind of skin that reflects the changing cityscape and which Piano has described as “light-sensitive”. In line with the spirit of the building's design, the ground floor is open, transparent and permeable. In fact, there is a large internal garden that is visible from the street and open to the public, as well as a semi-public auditorium, restaurants and shops. The atrium is lit by suspended Le Perroquet luminaires that are also used to illuminate the office floors. A number of spotlights have also been installed to provide indirect lighting in the restaurant areas.