A VIEW WITH A DIFFERENCE
09 Mar 2016
For the brave at heart, a new observation deck set to open in Los Angeles this year provides a different kind of viewing experience with the addition of a 14m glass Skyslide built 305m above the city!
These days every observation deck worth its salt has a glass-bottom, but throw the term ‘slide’ into the equation and you may well have something out of the ordinary. Not only will OUE Skyspace LA be California's highest open-air observation deck, it will have a glass-bottomed slide on which visitors will be able to descend from one floor to another.
The Skyspace will occupy floors 69 and 70 of the 310m (1018 ft) US Bank Tower (formerly the Library Tower and the First Interstate Bank World Center) in Los Angeles. OUE says it has spent nearly $100 million (USD) on renovating and improving the building.
When it is opened in June, Skyspace will provide 360-degree views of Los Angeles, from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Pacific Ocean and of landmarks such as the Dodger Stadium and Catalina Island.
The observation deck itself will be perched close to 305m (1000 ft) above downtown LA and will have 260 sqm (2800 sq ft) of publicly accessible outdoor space. On their way up to the deck, visitors will be guided through a variety of interactive and educational experiences on different floors of the building.
The Digital Interactive Level will include a 360-degree Digital Topography Wall showing information about landmarks and neighborhoods of Los Angeles, as well as other points of interest. In addition, there will be an Infinity Mirror that "creates reflections upon reflections" and a Silhouette Wall that "uses pixels to create reflective images based on body movement."
Surely the most unique part of any visit to the SkySpace, though, will be the recently announced Skyslide - designed by M Ludvik & Co. The Skyslide will be made entirely of 3.2cm thick clear glass, allowing visitors to slide 14m (45 ft) down from the 70th floor to the 69th floor, all the time with a view of the street below.
The Skyspace is due to open on 25 June 2016.
