At the W Hotel in Times Square, designer Yabu Pushelberg creates spare, richly textured compartments, evoking a bento box's sensual delights

By William Weathersby, Jr.

I t's a long way from Planet Hollywood to the stylish sphere of the W Hotel in Times Square. The 52-story tower was initially planned as a frenetic, family-oriented satellite of Planet Hollywood's theme restaurant chain. After a change in ownership during construction, however, the pop-culture setting was eclipsed by a more refined realm. With interiors reinvented by the interior design firm Yabu Pushelberg, the W Hotel's serene landscape almost floats above the streetside chaos at the so-called Crossroads of the World. See the September, 2002 issue of Architectural Record for the full story.

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