Time & Life Building, Midtown Manhattan Tower Regeneration, New York City Architecture Photos
Time & Life Building in Midtown Manhattan
May 17, 2022
Design: Pei Cobb Freed & Partners
Location: Midtown Manhattan, NYC, USA

Photos: Albert Vecerka/ESTO
Time & Life Building, NYC
The launch of the television series Mad Men, set in the Time & Life Building in Midtown Manhattan, introduced the iconic 1959 tower to a new generation. But despite its growing fame, the aging tower struggled to compete in New York’s commercial real estate market: with an inefficient building envelope, outdated mechanical systems, and a timeworn lobby, it was no match for recently built, state-of-the-art towers. Then, in 2014?as Mad Men entered its final season?the primary tenant announced it was relocating to a new building. That’s when owner-developer Rockefeller Group turned to the architecture firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, with a vision for a transformational reinvention.
The Pei Cobb Freed team made a thorough study of existing conditions, seeking to understand decades of alterations, and researched the original architects? intentions. Synthesizing this information with their knowledge of best practices in sustainability and workplace design, the team developed an innovative plan for restoration, improvement, and modernization.

The ensuing repositioning of the building?now known as 1271 Avenue of the Americas?brought it from vacant to 99 percent leased...