Hyatt Union Square has unveiled a transformed lobby and cocktail bar designed by New York-based Legeard Studio, blending hospitality and mid-century style.
Located at the crossroads of downtown Manhattan, the hotel blends timeless craftsmanship with the area’s evolving rhythm to deliver a space for guests and locals alike. Legeard Studio’s refreshed design marks the lobby’s first refurbishment since the hotel’s opening in 2013.
Rethinking the spacious double-height interior, the project began with a complete gut renovation and continues the cultural style of the surrounding Manhattan neighbourhood. Upon arrival, the reception desk anchors the entry beneath a monumental painting by local artist Joe Henry Bake.
Patterned tiled floors give a retro and contemporary feel, curated by the studio to blend Palm Springs modernism and Milanese sensibilities. A Bauhaus- inspired stained-glass wall is positioned to interact with the light and cast colour around the space. Hanging from the ceiling, a cluster of sculptural lantern pendants hanging from the ceiling, inspired by American artist and furniture designer Isamu Noguchi, soften the architectural volume.
The design pivots to an intimate guest lounge divided from the lobby by a curtain of living greenery. Custom furnishings incorporate a mid-century design, while vintage pieces are reupholstered in soft, elevated fabrics. Wrapped in wood panelling, is furnished with sofa pits gathered around Sergio Mazza’s iconic Alfa lamps, a layered rug and polished vintage accents reflecting the 1970s.
Also part of the renovation is Bar Sella, the hotel’s cocktail lounge. The Verde Antigua marble bar is the central showpiece, with a Charlotte Perriand-inspired bottle shelf. Above it, a vast plaster relief installation catches light and shadow in sculptural layers. The space showcases textures and colours inspired by nature, with soaring columns encased in diamond-patterned woodwork and Murano glass-inspired sconces.
Circular booths with soft elevated fabrics sit beneath three glass chandeliers reminiscent of antique Venetian glasswork, lending theatricality. By night the lounge transforms with dim lighting and warm textures, designed to feel both nostalgic and contemporary.
