HOLLYWOOD DESIGN
news cycle, so we made a 24-hour
live newsroom that becomes more
important as a content capture
space than a black-box studio.”
For CNN Tonight With Don
Lemon and the Town Hall shows,
more traditional soundproof stu-
dios were created. “We have the
capacity to accommodate much
larger studio audiences than we
did before,” says Zucker.
Like many companies today,
WarnerMedia opted for fluid work
conditions. Most employees have
sit-or-stand desks and laptops, so
they can move freely to cafes and
communal hubs, with couches,
lounge chairs and farm tables
set up throughout the building.
An architectural feature called
the “Prow” showcases stairs and
a dramatic hanging sculpture
and is earmarked for events and
parties. “We thought about how
we would use this unique design’s
levels in a way that is architec-
turally significant,” says Rocco
Giannetti, who spearheaded the
Gensler work. Lights in the sculp-
ture connect to a digital branding
system, so a promotion by Warner
Bros. might pipe through colors
of Joker. Colors also are used to
signify each division, with CNN
identified by red and HBO blue.
Wellness also is a priority, with
a gym, yoga and Pilates rooms,
and massage, physical therapy,
chiropractic and health services
for employees. A 35th-floor sky
lobby was built as a crossover
space to encourage cross-pollina-
tion among divisions.
Window and corner sanctums
for executives are scarce: On most
floors, offices are glass-walled
and placed at the center rather
than on the perimeters. “Corners
of the core would normally be
closed, but we made them open
spaces,” says Giannetti. Sweeping
views of the Hudson and
Manhattan’s West Side along with
spectacular sunsets grace every
floor. “When we put all those
buildings into one, we felt a need
to eliminate walls and have fewer
private offices,” says Santiago.
“There was a notion that light
should belong to everybody.”
131
The Sky Bar cafe on
the 35th floor is open
all day.
2
For WarnerMedia’s
design, an advisory
board of senior
executives from all
branches was set up.
Tech and amenities
committees would
bring their research
and recommendations
to the board.