Design Week: The latest addition to the Rockefeller Center’s observation deck is Skylift, a feat of engineering that raises visitors 30ft into the air and revolves to show them a panoramic view of the city.
Commissioned by the building’s owner, Tishman Speyer, it was designed by THG Creative, who brought in TAIT, fabricators and engineers who bring experiences to life through technology, precision engineering and creative design.
3 comments:
It still amazes me what TAIT is able to do with their engineers and designers. Not only do they design touring shows and broadway shows, but they also do attractions like Skylift. It’s incredible to see something that appears so simple seem actually largely complex to design, engineer and bring to life. I’m floored that they had to disassemble it and then bring it up the passenger elevators in the Rockefeller Center and wonder how many trips that must have taken. I’m sure in the coming holiday season, this will be the latest attraction that everyone will want to do while in NYC for the holidays. I’m glad that TAIT took the time they needed to design this with the intent of New York weather and the fabrication of the building. Having their personal walk the path of the skylift was probably one of the best decisions they could have made, as it seems that some of their designers, fabricators and installers were based in the UK. Next time I go to NYC I’ll be sure to check out the skylift on the Rockfeller center, that is if there isn’t too big a line to experience it.
This looks so cool! Not only does it seem like it will provide visitors with an excellent view and experience, it also seems like a very interesting piece of technology. The fact that this will have to stand hundreds of feet in the air battling against the harsh and windy climates of the Northeastern United States, is amazing to me. There are so many factors that go into this with every aspect of its design. I wonder exactly how they manage the infrastructure and machinery to be able to keep it rotating while there are also freezing temperatures and rain and snow. I also found it very interesting that they had built and assembled this in the UK, then disassembled it, and brought it to the United States. I also like the art style, looking like it seamlessly blends into the building's style. A lot of installations for viewing on top of buildings are a harsh contrast to the style of the building and seem completely removed and separate. However this really looks like part of the building and I hope it is a fun experience!
Other than having an excellent title, this article is really interesting. I do really love following TAIT’s work - what they make is so, so cool and it’s always beautifully implemented. This skylift is no different. I really appreciate how it was designed to fit into the architecture of the existing building while also being incredibly customizable via lighting within each layer. Honestly, one of the most interesting things in this article to me is the logistics of how it was built, broken down, taken piece by piece through the building and then reassembled at the top. Just the engineering for that is really interesting for me. It’s all the parts you don’t necessarily think about looking at the final project. This seems like it will an incredibly cool experience for guests and all who visit Rockefeller Center. The view it gives seems beautiful and the implementation is excellent - I would love to visit this at some point!
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