Installation of Hudson Yards' Observation Deck Begins

INSTALLATION of the "highest outdoor observation deck" in the Western hemisphere has begun at New York’s Hudson Yards development.

Suspended 1,121 feet (342 metres) above the ground, the observation deck will crown the 1,296 foot (395 metres) 30 Hudson Yards tower. 

Designed by architecture firm KPF, the tower and its observation deck are set to complete and open to the public in 2019.

Above: A render of the observation deck of 30 Hudson Yards, the tallest outdoor viewing platform in the Western Hemisphere (image courtesy of Related/ Oxford).

The deck consists of 15 sections, weighing 765,000 pounds and extending 65 feet out from the building's facade. These segments have been prefabricated in Italy and shipped to New York by boat.

Above: An animation showing the sections of the observation deck (video courtesy of Real Estate Weekly). Below: A section of the deck being transported by a barge to the site (image courtesy of Related/Oxford and Timothy Schenck).

Providing 7,500 square feet of outdoor space, the platform will be adjacent to 10,000 square feet of restaurant, bar and events space within the tower.

Above: A steel section of the deck before it being lifted into place (images courtesy of Related/Oxford and Joe Woolhead).

Located above a 28 acre rail yard leading to Manhattan’s Midtown, the USD $20BN Hudson Yards regeneration project in is the largest private development project in United States history.

Above: The observation deck will lead onto a restaurant and event space inside. Below: The wider Hudson Yards development is set to complete in 2024 (images courtesy of Related/Oxford).

Set to complete by 2024, the Hudson Yards master plan features 16 skyscrapers, an arts venue called “The Shed” and “Vessel”, a sculpture by British designer Thomas Heatherwick. There's also numerous public spaces, amenities and transport infrastructure upgrades.

Watch the amazing story of the development - including how it is being partly constructed on top of a live rail yard - in our video below: 

Watch The B1M's video (above) to learn more about the Hudson Yards re-development.