DAVID ROCKWELLSEPTEMBER 2019 ELLEDECORATION.CO.UK 71PICTURES: CHRISTOPHER STURMAN, EMILY ANDREWS, ERIC LAIGNEL, DEBORAH WHITLAW, CLINT JENKINS, PETR KREJCI, SCOTT FRANCES
rehearsal and events spaces, a 1,600 square-
metre courtyard for open-air happenings
and installations and a restaurant-bar and
lounge, Cedric’s, conceived by Rockwell and
chef Danny Meyer.
‘No existing cultural institutions wanted
to expand in 2008,’ says Rockwell. ‘The city
was looking for a new kind of place, and we
were lucky enough to imagine a space that
would protect that area for artists.’ Five
years later DSR and Rockwell Group also
won the contract to create 15 Hudson Yards,
the luxury high-rise connecting with The
Shed and housing its mechanics.
Rockwell and the studio hail 2019 as a
particularly important year. As well as The
Shed and 15 Hudson Yards, he has recently
completed restaurants of differing scales
and sizes – the slick Nobu Downtown and the
fabulously warm and intimate Wayan, for
instance. Hotel projects also continue apace:
Moxy Chelsea has opened in the heart of the
city’s Flower District, the studio’s Madrid
office has worked on a sumptuous rework of
the Gran Hotel Inglés and the US team have
renovated the iconic Palms Casino Resort.
Next on the horizon, Rockwell is looking
to extend his extensive roster of furniture
and decoration designs for the likes ofStellar Works, Roche Bobois, Knoll, The
Rug Company, Bisazza and Jim Thompson.
Most notable is the ‘Sage’ collection for
Benchmark– a range of pieces prioritising
environmental sustainability as well as the
physical, emotional and social well-being of
the user. ‘We were inspired by the simplicity
of Benchmark’s approach and their
passion for finely wrought craft and honest
materials to create a visually calming and
intuitive collection,’ says Rockwell. ‘With
productivity, healthfulness and comfort
in mind, we wanted to create a vibrant
collection for what people want today.’
Again this highlights that Rockwell
and his studio’s massive creative output
comes down to heart: ‘How people interact
together is so significant, particularly when
there’s so much virtual connection now,’ he
explains, ‘and that infuses everything we do.’
In a world of rush, ego and attitude, it’s
hard not to be enthused by Rockwell’s warm,
passionate approach. ‘The idea that each
project could be our last is embedded in
who we are and that gives you a real drive to
create,’ he says. ‘We feel so fortunate that we
get to do what we love. Someone asked me
to define luxury. For me, luxury is doing the
work you love.’ rockwellgroup.com’WHEN I
MOVED TO
NEW YORK,
WHAT I FELL
IN LOVE
WITH WAS
HOW MESSY
IT WAS,
HOW IT
WAS A CITY
DEFINED BY
ITS SKYLINE’