There’s something very “Old Manhattan” about the newly renovated Company Building in Midtown, New York. Perhaps it’s the little velvet chair tucked into a corner or the brass sconces that spill light down the foliage-patterned wallpaper. Or maybe it’s the combination of these and other retro-inspired flourishes from SHoP Architects that bring a warmth and charm to the office spaces surrounding a massive 27-story atrium at the heart of the building.
The tower at 335 Madison Avenue originally opened in 1913 as the Biltmore Hotel and lived a second life as the Bank of America headquarters starting in 1983. In its freshly revitalized form, the Company Building will spring into the future as a 21st-century office building that pairs contemporary technology with vintage touches.
“We sought to link the Gilded Age grandeur of Grand Central Terminal to a new era of transformative technology,” said SHoP principal Corie Sharples. “The new interiors are meant to feel grand yet intimate and inviting, like your favorite hotel, lounge, or bar.”