The project, which was opened on 16th October 2008 by Mayor Bloomberg, began in 1999 with an international competition to re-design the popular TKTS booth at the centre of Times Square.

While the brief simply requested designs for a small scale architectural structure to replace the existing ticket booth, our entry reframed the competition as an urban design project. Key to our approach was the thinking that as on of New York City's great gathering points and a focus of urban theatre, both literally and metaphorically, Time Square had nowhere for people to sit and enjoy the passing show. There was no iconic arrival marker, no picture postcard to leave with.

The design terraces public domain upward as a series of tiered red translucent slabs, which forms much needed seating, and houses the new booth underneath.

Giving the plan further potency, the tiered seating is lit from below which uses the whole staircase to glow at night, and strengthen the presence of TKTS in the visually charged context of Times Square. The structure also forms a backdrop for the nearby statue of Father Duffy. Importantly, it forms new public space where TKTS clients and visitors alike can pause to site and take in the 'theatre' of Times Square.

Our concept has been developed and progressed to construction by architects Perkins Eastman (responsible for the booth) and PKSB Architects (responsible for the plaza). Through their input, the concept has evolved to become an exceptional bespoke glass structure sitting on an expanded open plaza.

After nervous beginnings, it has been rewarding for us to see the myriad of stakeholders and government agencies including Theatre Development Fund, Times Square Alliance, Coalition for Father Duffy and City of New York, unite behind our concept with the common belief that the project can make a difference.

The red steps becomes a popular meeting point and an iconic marker for Times Square. We also hope that by expanding the function and identity of the TKTS booth, it will strengthen TKTS' position as a New York cultural institution.

The project has been widely acclaimed for the way in which the design provides public and private benefits while simultaneously strengthening the essential character of Times Square.

"It transforms the environment, and it creates a large effect on all sorts of different scales"
"The belly button of Manhattan"
Joseph Grima & Marion Weiss, Jurors – 1009 I.D. Magazine's Annual Deisgn Review Award

"The TKTS booth invents public space where there was none before."
Michael Beirut, Juror – 2009 Travel + Leisure Design Award

"What a meeting place for this generation. Never mind the clock at the Baltimore, you now meet on the ruby red steps in Times Square."
Bill Cunningham, New York Times

"The winner is really the winner. Seldom in a design competition with so many excellent entries is the winner so obviously the best choice. It goes beyond meeting the criteria and is even poetic (which is really hard considering the Times Square environment!) it will become a landmark."
Tucker Viemeister, juror