WTC elevator projects the evolution of NYC skyline on panoramic screens
gif by designboom / courtesy of new york times

 

 

 

next month, the five elevators that will transport visitors to the 102nd floor of 1 world trade center will project a virtual panorama of the NYC skyline, the new york times reports. a seemingly three-dimensional time-lapse unfolds onto the surrounding elevator walls, animating the metropolis’ evolution over a period of more than 500 years.

 

the journey begins in the year 1500 under the surface of the pavement — as it rises, time advances, seeing manhattan rapidly transform from a peaceful riverfront settlement to a bustling urban center, pierced by skyscraping surroundings and a succession of some of the world’s tallest towers. the brief presence of the original world trade center building looms nearby, before 2001, when its slowly disappears again from view. the virtual show — designed by california-based hettema group and blur studio — is sited in elevators that travel about 2,000 feet a minute, reaching the observatory height at 1,268 feet above ground — an interactive, informative, and culturally significant installation for new yorkers and tourists alike.

 

 


sky pods show rise of new york skyline
video courtesy of the new york times