Buildings
Case Study

New NYC observatory offers a dizzying visitor experience

October 25, 2021
6
 MIN READ
Client:

Summit One Vanderbilt is a multi-level, 65,000 square-foot entertainment space that took years to conceive, design and develop. Ideally located in the heart of Midtown, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt boasts thrill experiences, elevated food and cocktails, and an outdoor terrace with the highest urban alpine meadow in the Western hemisphere.

Thrill seekers can enjoy two options to test their mettle. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt’s LEVITATION sky boxes allow guests to step out from the envelope of the building and stand on transparent glass 1,063 feet above Madison Avenue, with the hustle and bustle of city streets directly beneath them.

For the extreme thrill seeker, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt’s ASCENT, an all-glass elevator with a transparent glass floor, will take guests from the terrace level up the side of the building, to over 1,200 feet (364 meters), nesting at the highest viewing point in midtown Manhattan.

Photo by SL Green Realty corp.

“We set out to create a truly unique destination for New Yorkers and visitors from around the world to explore and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt delivers – you need to experience it to understand it. From thrilling ways to take in the best views of Manhattan to the multi-level and multi-room immersive art experience called AIR, we expect people to visit again and again,” said Marc Holliday, Chairman and CEO of SL Green, which is Manhattan’s largest office landlord and the developer of One Vanderbilt.

Sharry was appointed by SL Green Realty to be a technology partner at this fourth tallest office building in New York City with its 1,401 feet height. The CEO of Sharry had the privilege to witness the Summit One Vanderbilt before its grand opening. “When you ascend any sky-high observatory, you expect a breathtaking view and challenge your fear of height. At Summit One Vanderbilt, I would never guess that this expectation could be surpassed by the mind-bending art experience called Air. Through mirrors, silver balls, glass boxes, and an enchanting game of lights, it delivers a brand new experience for any visitor entering this space,” said Josef Šachta, CEO and co-founder of Sharry that develops state-of-the-art mobile access solution, visitor management system and tenant engagement mobile app for One Vanderbilt.

Photo by SL Green Realty Corp.
Summit One Vanderbilt under construction in June 2020. Photo by Max Touhey

What's the art installation Air that's turning SUMMIT One Vanderbilt into a beacon of light and energy? “Air is a space that is physiologically singular: your senses come alive. You look around, and what you see is ecstatic—a multiplicity of sky, city, and people. You take a step, and everything rearranges, at incredible scale, as if in defiance of physics. The countless planes of reflection make it feel like you’re suspended in air, with no single ‘you’ but hundreds, seen from every angle—inviting existential questions of identity,” describes Kenzo Digital, the author of the installation, in the artist's statement.

Photo by SL Green Realty Corp.
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New NYC observatory offers a dizzying visitor experience
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