Founded in 1846, The Associated Press (AP) is an American multinational nonprofit news agency headquartered in NYC. AP engaged TPG for the design of their new global headquarters as they relocated from Midtown Manhattan to four floors at 200 Liberty Street in Brookfield Place. Moving across from the World Trade Center allowed AP to return to its original roots Downtown, and offered them cost savings in downsizing their space by 40%. The project permitted AP to revitalize their workplace with a more open office and collaborative spaces to accommodate changing work habits and their innovative news culture.

Our Strategy & Innovation Studio and designers worked with AP through the change management process to better conceptualize a more open, team-centric workplace. TPG worked with the client to reduce the quantity and size of offices, creating a more open-plan to better promote communication. The fifth floor octagonal rotunda serves as the hub-designed newsroom, representing the flow of information to the editorial team at the center. To heighten the sense of connectivity and promote cross-collaboration, their feature staircase was inspired by this transmission of data, with thousands of hanging tiles mimicking the numerous stories produced by the agency.

AP has many unique specialty spaces, including a 24/7 broadcast studio, a suite of green rooms and support spaces, and a data center. The office includes a mix of formal and informal collaboration rooms, executive offices, and board rooms. Their café serves as a multi-purpose space for large functions, such as tracking the presidential election exit polls. Our Branding Studio helped design gallery walls as well as an area to house AP’s extensive archive collection celebrating their 170-year history and Pulitzer Prize-winning achievements. The new offices reflect AP’s rich heritage and bolster their reputation around the world.