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.

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.

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 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