Rockwell Group, the New York-based architecture and interior design studio, has revealed the final stage of refurbishment for the 550 Madison building, which includes three anchoring restaurants on the ground, lower-ground, and mezzanine levels of the tower. Rockwell Group designed the office’s premium amenity floors in 2022, creating a seamless connection between work, play and retreat. The tower was purchased by the Olayan Group and Chelsield in 2016 and Rockwell Group has been involved in every stage of its reimagination since.
550 Madison Avenue is one of New York City’s most recognisable architectural landmarks – a postmodern gem distinguished by its Chippendale-inspired curved roof pediment and sleek, historic exterior. Formerly the Sony Tower, it was originally the AT&T Building, a 37-storey high-rise originally designed and completed by architect Philip Johnson and partner John Burgee in 1984.
The dining concept at 550 Madison centres on two restaurants, with a third to be announced later in the year. Bar Chimera is a ground-level Midtown oasis organised around the extension of the public plaza and three distinct bar experiences, which together create an elegant and convivial environment. COTE 550, the celebrated Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse, is located on the lower level. Sushi Yoshitake, located on the mezzanine, will open in the autumn.
Each restaurant invites guests into a distinct world and dining experience. Rockwell Group has utilised a purposeful throughline that honours the legacy of the landmark curved-roof building and preserves much of its existing materiality and bold details. Through its design concept, Rockwell Group has brought an entirely new dining experience to Midtown Manhattan – one that extends the lively experience of the neighbourhood and public realm indoors.
Bar Chimera
Bar Chimera is a Midtown bar oasis that connects 550 Madison to its garden and the street. The design is grounded in the firm’s research into plazas as civic spaces where people gather and connect – viewing the space as a town centre and an extension of the neighbourhood, complete with a fountain and seating that circles a soaring 23’ Norfolk pine tree, flanked by two smaller pine trees. The north wall features a yellow neon installation, Work No. 3936 ‘DON’T WORRY’ (2025), by Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed.
The three bars that make up Bar Chimera sit within a grand, 60-foot-tall space, with a 16-foot datum of warm oak with ceramic inlays that wraps the public realm, creating an inviting welcome within the lobby. Here, two monumental yet graceful arches, made from hammered metallic-toned plaster and distressed leather with integrated lighting, feature prominently. The arches sculpt the space, casting a warm glow, framing the mezzanine level, and celebrating the postmodern curves of the original architecture. Three large, faceted globe pendants, made of textured and clear glass and inspired by iconic Midtown lights, the Theatre District, and Tiffany glass craftsmanship, are suspended between the arches, offering a landmark look with a modern twist.
Sixty-foot windows offer views out to Madison Avenue, softened by enormous sheers that run the length of the windows, and by café curtains that create street-level privacy while still allowing light and movement to penetrate. Custom wool carpets by Rockwell Group for the Rug Company create an ombre effect in totality – beginning with a spring and summer palette, moving to autumn, with abstract patterns that evoke leaves falling on cobblestone in different seasons, referencing Rockwell’s ‘plaza’ concept.
Three bars anchor the dining room: the whiskey, wine, and martini bars have distinct identities yet share a subtle sensibility. The entry host stands adjacent to the wine bar, which features ombre copper metal panels and distressed leather. High-top wine tables in pink marble complement the serpentine-shaped bar ledge, which allows for wine-bucket integration. Rockwell Group has worked with Artemest to customise the wine buckets with burgundy leather and a logo engraving.
The wine bar itself has a polished pewter bar top and a custom lava stone tile bar die in ivory. The back bar features a textured pink mirror with a custom terracotta lava stone frame. The martini bar has a polished pewter bar top and features sage green accents, mirrored surfaces, a mirrored drink ledge, and the same bar die as the wine bar. The whiskey bar takes on a moodier tone, with cast amber glass, warm woods, leather and cognac colours, and a custom ladder with leather details for reaching liquor bottles. Custom bar lights with different-coloured leather stems provide a hint of visual consistency across all three bars. There is an additional 20’-tall custom light on the back bar that uses layers of texture and tinted glass to create additional glow.
COTE 550
COTE 550 is an outpost of the much-loved Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse, now offering a transformative experience at 550 Madison, where guests are carried from the ground floor down a dark, translucent resin stair to COTE 550. Another neon art piece by Martin Creed, Work No. 3935 ‘COMING GOING’ (2025), is located at the top of the stair and alternates between blue and pink in a lively manner.
The dry ageing room glows red, surrounded by a signature COTE lozenge-shaped bar with a red marble countertop and a concrete bar die. The sultry, enticing light of the dry ageing room draws guests to the energy of the standing-room-only bar. The bar and lounge feature a DJ booth and blackened steel wall sconces. A third Martin Creed piece, Work No. 3937 ‘EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT’ (2025), is positioned above the lounge seating area.
Behind the lounge, a soothing green portal offers another threshold and sensory reset, transporting guests to the main dining room, which has been inspired by El Dorado, a mythical city in South America believed to be filled with gold, sparking centuries of expeditions by Spanish and European explorers.
In the dining room, a gold mesh sculpture by Catellani & Smith plays with light and shadow, also referencing El Dorado. The mirrored ceiling further extends the reflections and illusions throughout the space. In the bathrooms, Rockwell Group designed a wallcovering inspired by Korean culture and architecture. A moon-like lighting fixture is flush with the ceiling, evoking a cinematic experience of standing in the moonlight. Rockwell’s version of El Dorado is a calm, beautiful, hidden-garden oasis, featuring a central turquoise water feature, tables with built-in grilles, and lush green walls with reflective mirrors that create an otherworldly effect.
Across both restaurants, Rockwell Group sought to create spaces that feel deeply connected to the spirit of 550 Madison while introducing entirely new experiences within the landmark building. Through a careful interplay of materiality, light, scale and atmosphere, the project extends Midtown’s public life into the interiors, transforming the tower into a destination that moves fluidly between hospitality, culture and urban retreat. Together, Bar Chimera and COTE 550 reinforce 550 Madison as not only an architectural icon but also a dynamic social and culinary anchor for the city.
Commenting on the design, Brad Zuger, Partner at Rockwell Group, says: “From the outset, we wanted the restaurants at 550 Madison to feel like immersive extensions of the city itself, with spaces that capture Midtown’s energy, elegance and theatricality while also offering moments of escape and discovery. The design draws on the building’s extraordinary architectural legacy but reinterprets it through a contemporary lens, balancing grandeur with intimacy and creating environments that evolve throughout the day and night.”
