2020
An urban plaza in the sky, the Edge Observation Deck at Hudson Yards offers views of the city that have never been experienced before. At 1,131 feet, the Edge is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere. The triangular platform cantilevers from the facade of 30 Hudson Yards, hovering out over the new complex and extending into the city’s architectural landscape. The lighting distinguishes this prominent feature from below, without disturbing the unparalleled views from the deck.
The lighting design shapes a welcoming public space and celebrates this new and unique vantage point. For visitors on the sky deck, most lighting is concealed, providing only an enhancing wash of light. Lighting is concentrated within the center of the deck, fading out towards its perimeter to direct focus outward. Elements such as the bleacher seating seem to float through integrated light, creating unobstructed views and heightening the feeling of weightlessness. In the surface of the deck, a clear central window allows a vertigo-worthy view to the busy streets below. Surrounding the window, a constellation of lighting moves as visitors stroll across the deck.
By contrast, looking up to the sky deck from below, lighting defines the Edge and establishes its presence at the cityscape. It sharply carves the platform from the silhouette of the tower as a prominent visual landmark within the urban context. The lighting elevates the tower and mirrors the defining triangulated crown at its peak.
L’Observatoire International worked with Kohn Pedersen Fox on the Edge Observation deck. The lighting is part of L’Observatoire’s full exterior lighting scheme for Hudson Yards, which includes the master plan and towers, the plaza, and the Vessel. Each tower is defined by a distinct character at night, celebrating the architecture of the individual buildings and creating a visual rhythm while maintaining a cohesive identity. The lighting anchors the series of towers, showcasing them as the newest additions to the New York City skyline.
