Five Broadway Lessons for Fixing Office Life

Architect and designer David Rockwell is renowned for three decades of work across industries ranging from the hospitality business (including Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas Hotel, W Hotels, and Nobu) to the theater (including set designs for recent Tony Award-winning productions Kinky Boots and Lucky Guy). His latest project will open this month: Neuehouse, a shared working space located in a fully restored, century-old building in Manhattan. Marketed as a “private-membership work collective” for “solopreneurs,” Neuehouse spans 35,000 square feet over five floors and is intended for workers in such fields as fashion, design, technology, and publishing.

Rockwell says that his work in theater influenced the designs for Neuehouse, from the lighting down to the moveable walls. In the spirit of boosting productivity, Bloomberg Businessweek asked the architect for tips that regular, boring offices might glean from the Great White Way.