For more than 20 years Gabellini Sheppard have worked diligently to provide architectural and design solutions to the historical campus of Rockefeller Center. A cherished landmark in the heart of midtown Manhattan, Gabellini Sheppard has acted as stewards of the iconic complex consisting of 19 commercial buildings covering 22 acres between 48th Street and 51st Street. Rockefeller Center is a premier destination for world class shopping, restaurants, and entertainment, and home to high-end office space. Transformations have included: enhancements to lighting, plazas, staircases, gardens, artworks, storefronts and of course, the architectural intervention necessary to meet the current demands of high pedestrian circulation, increasing connectivity between buildings, and supporting the world class retail businesses adjacent to 5th Avenue.

Tasked with updating Rockefeller Center’s Public Realm as a contemporary public space, Gabellini Sheppard harnessed the concept of “Burnishing. Changing. Adapting”. This mantra reinforces the legacy of the center while creating a rationalization to balance heritage with appropriate innovative changes.