An angular platform protruding from the 100th floor of Kohn Pedersen Fox’s Hudson Yards skyscraper is the “highest outdoor observation deck” in the western hemisphere. The 345-meter-high Edge observation deck has opened at the supertall skyscraper Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) designed at New York’s Hudson Yards complex. The shape of the pointed platform mirrors an opening atop 30 Hudson Yards, and a triangular portion of glazed flooring provides a window to the ground far below.
Piercing the sky from its record-setting height of 1,131 feet, Edge reveals never-before-seen 360-degree views of New York City and beyond spanning up to 80 miles. Edge’s 7,500-square-foot outdoor viewing area features a thrilling glass floor, angled glass walls, and outdoor skyline steps from the 100th to 101st floor.
Edge’s monumental triangular form completes 30 Hudson Yards’ architectural dialogue with New York City. The building, which anchors the Hudson Yards development, establishes key relationships with its context through mediating volumes between the height of the tower and the scale of the street.
“The Edge observation deck is the most dramatic in a series of gestures which link KPF’s buildings, in the Hudson Yards development, to the principal surrounding structures of the city,” said William Pedersen, KPF Founding and Design Principal. “Gesturing directly towards the Empire State Building, and higher than its observation deck, Edge pays homage to its role as the most emblematic of all New York buildings.”
“We see Edge as a unique opportunity to experience New York City,” said Marianne Kwok, Design Director. “With features that complement the design of 30 Hudson Yards, Edge is the result of an immense team effort, and its construction process was unprecedented. Now that it’s finished, I look forward to seeing it used and enjoyed by thousands of New Yorkers and visitors alike.”
A marvel of modern engineering and structural design, the 765,000-pound observation deck is comprised of 15 sections, each weighing between 35,000 and 100,000 pounds, bolted together and anchored to the east and south sides of the building. The outdoor viewing area is surrounded by 79 glass panels, each over 2 inches thick, 9 feet tall, and weighing 1,200 pounds.
Manufactured in Germany and finished in Italy, the panels sit on a 6.6-degree angle facing outwards, allowing guests to lean out over the city. The mullion-free design ensures a completely panoramic view of the surrounding city. Edge’s glass floor spans 225 square feet provides dramatic views of the street below. Interiors of Edge are designed by Rockwell Group.
KPF is a leader in the design of supertall towers with accessible space at their highest levels. Edge at 30 Hudson Yards is one of 9 KPF projects completed in the last 10 years that include observatories. Of that group, Edge is the first one with an outdoor experience.
Tickets to Edge are available online here.