Standing more than 1,000 feet in the air and extending out 65 feet from the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards, it will be the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere, and the fifth highest in the world. The observation deck is scheduled to open in late 2019.
The Hudson Yards Observation Deck will be made up of 15 primary sections, each weighing between 35,000 and 100,000 pounds. Bolted together and anchored to the east and south sides of the building, the 765,000 pound observation deck will create a 7,500-square-foot outdoor viewing area. A nine-foot tall angled glass wall will encircle the deck, and a window in the floor will provide a once-in-a-lifetime look at the neighborhood below.
KPF’s 30 Hudson Yards will stand 1,296 feet tall and offer state-of-the-art commercial office space for its tenants, which include DNB Bank, Kohlberg, Kravis & Roberts (KKR), Time Warner Inc. and Wells Fargo, among others. In addition to the Hudson Yards Observation Deck, the building has direct access to The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards and a direct connection to the No. 7 Subway station. The LEED Gold-designed tower is on track to top out this summer.
“The design of our two towers at Hudson Yards is based on our intention of making overt responses to all aspects of the surrounding urban landscape,” said Bill Pedersen, Founding Design Partner of KPF. “The most dramatic of these gestures will be the observation deck which cantilevers 65 feet out into space from the top of 30 Hudson Yards reaching out, almost as an invitation, to all of Manhattan. Together with the Vessel, these dramatic architectural structures are included in Hudson Yards for all to enjoy.”
Marianne Kwok, Design Director at Kohn Pedersen Fox, noted, ‘The New York skyline is usually a private world occupied by penthouses and exclusive boardrooms. The experience of Hudson Yards and the interior connection to outdoor space occurs at all levels – the street, the High Line, the plaza, the journey up Vessel, the dining terraces, residential amenity spaces and the tower terraces for office tenants – and each provides a unique interaction with the city. At 30 Hudson Yards, the neighborhood’s tallest building, the very top of the tower is accessible to the public to experience the observation deck, the views, and a few upcoming surprises!’