Framing the view from the “jewel box” of Manhattan
“The glass elevator unveils the 360-degree panorama. Around the circular perimeter, full-height glass replaces high windows. The space, only 30 feet in diameter, is intimate, like a thrillingly vertiginous pilot house more than 1,200 feet above the city.” –New York Times
When the glass needs to be perfect in every way—perfect view, perfect comfort and perfect dependability—you choose Alpen High Performance Products!
That’s why 24 custom-crafted Alpenglass units were developed to create the faceted glass cylinder on top of the world’s most famous office building—the Empire State Building.
Jean-Yves Ghazi
“It is, simply, a sight unmatched,” Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State Building Observatory”
This outstanding renovation of the 102nd floor observatory had some challenging requirements, but challenges create opportunities for innovation.
“This is the most spectacular view in the city, the most spectacular view, arguably in the world. And all we had to do is clear obstructions out of the way and bring its true spirit forward.“—Tom Hennes, principal and founder of Thinc Design
“…the small, waist-high windows have been swapped for dizzying new floor-to-ceiling glass.” –NY Post
“Previously, the space offered shorter windows blocked by 3-foot-tall walls. The renovation has torn down those walls and replaced the windows with mammoth floor-to-ceiling glass panes, each one weighing 450 pounds.” –CNN
Some project-specific information about the ESB 102nd Floor Observatory:
- 24 units
- Size: 52″ x 94″
The renovation took four years and $165 million (while it only took 14 months and $41 million to construct the entire building in the 1930s!), and the completely transparent observatory provides a direct look down to the streets, 1,224 feet below.
As the New York Times says: “The city’s first supertall building also offers grand views of the new New York.”
And, those exhilarating views are through glass made by Alpen High Performance Products!
Alpen’s 102nd Floor Empire State Building Observatory is getting some great press:
Articles
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/arts/design/empire-state-building-observatory.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/nyregion/nyc-news-empire-state-building.html
https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2019/10/10/us/ap-us-empire-state-building.html
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/empire-state-building-observatory-new-york/index.html
https://www.apnews.com/50f9c2ee18f342329d55a3c6e51eac0d
https://nypost.com/2019/10/08/empire-state-building-to-open-new-observatory-on-102nd-floor/
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