TKTS Booth and the Redevelopment of Father Duffy Square 7

TKTS Booth and the Redevelopment of Father Duffy Square: A Case Study

New York, NY

An iconic design that transformed Times Square from “the crossroads of the world” into the one of the most visited public gathering spaces on the globe.

An all-glass amphitheater where people enjoy the theater of Times Square, the TKTS Booth at Father Duffy Square is a “window into the city’s soul.” Beneath the glowing red glass structure, a fiberglass orb houses the Theatre Development Fund’s tickets booth, a revered destination for affordable seats at Broadway shows. Inspired by the brilliant competition-winning entry by Choi Ropiha, Perkins Eastman designed a building with elegance, beguiling simplicity, and precise detailing — now a celebrated landmark and symbol of New York City.

 

TKTS Booth and the Redevelopment of Father Duffy Square 5 TKTS Booth and the Redevelopment of Father Duffy Square 4

Bringing together a wide range of disciplines and professions including architecture, structural engineering, and urban design, the Perkins Eastman team worked with the non-profit sector and local government agencies. A microcosm of New York City itself, collaborators came from around the world, driven by a shared determination to create an inspiring public space for all.

TKTS Booth and the Redevelopment of Father Duffy Square TKTS Booth and the Redevelopment of Father Duffy Square 2

The building is a technological marvel with innovative and elegantly-realized details. The world’s largest all-glass public structure, supported by innovative stringer beams spanning between two-inch thick glass walls, encases a white fiberglass shell boasting the TKTS logo and housing the sales windows. Mechanical systems supporting the building functions are on display and run on a five-well geothermal system extending 450 feet into Manhattan’s bedrock.

TKTS Booth and the Redevelopment of Father Duffy Square 3

The compelling nature of the initial concept—a bright red glowing amphitheater—pushed the Perkins Eastman team to be bold in its inventive process. Navigating structural, physical, logistical, and technological challenges, they maintained focus on the public and symbolic meaning of the design. The result is a restrained, yet dynamic structure that draws people to gather in the heart of Times Square and take in one of the world’s most renowned urban spectacles.

TKTS Booth and the Redevelopment of Father Duffy Square 1 TKTS Booth and the Redevelopment of Father Duffy Square 6

“TKTS represents our commitment to the public realm and the City of New York. As a firm that grew up here, we understand the importance of these kinds of projects. It’s not for us, it’s for other people. That’s the power of good architecture.” – Nick Leahy, AIA