Experiencing the Intersection of Art and Thrill in New York City

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Up 1,100 feet above Manhattan, the views from SUMMIT One Vanderbilt aren’t the only thing that keeps bringing visitors back. The three-floor art and thrill experience creates an unforgettably immersive spectacle that forever alters your perception of New York City — and perhaps reality itself.

SUMMIT accomplishes this by blending art, technology, and science into a single, transcendent exhibit. Air, the gigantic, mind-bending, immersive art space created by revolutionary artist Kenzo Digital, masterfully exemplifies this intersection of art and thrill by utilizing form, digital media, architecture, and the environment to engineer a totally unique visit for guests.

Kenzo Digital’s other art installation projects — Social Galaxy, Nocturnal Awakening, and City of God’s Son — all evoke similarly immersive experiences that go beyond entertainment to create singularly engaging and memorable narratives. Seen through this lens, SUMMIT can be understood as a journey from the mundane to the celestial, where visitors become at once absorbed in the immensity of existence and individualized by the intense introspection that the reflective environment inspires.

What Makes SUMMIT Unique

One Vanderbilt’s innovative building design complements the inventiveness of SUMMIT perfectly. Because the building stands at 1,401 feet tall, SUMMIT is the highest public outdoor “observation deck” in Midtown Manhattan — and one of the top 30 tallest buildings in the world. The one-of-a-kind views are reflected in the mirrors that surround almost every exhibit, bringing the soaring spires and twinkling lights of NYC into a single, otherworldly visual dimension.

SUMMIT wants you to experience a range of emotions within its exhibits. Your senses are turned off in Rise Tunnel, heightened in the lightning-fast, 91floor journey of Rise, bathed in the colorful Hall of Light, and quickly brought to astonishment as the surreal, mirror-coated microcosm of Transcendence comes into view. Everything that follows — reality-bending sculptures by Yayoi Kusama, floating orbs, and a wall of face-bearing clouds — will transport you to another universe. It’s an art and thrill experience you can’t get anywhere else in the world.

With an interior designed by the renowned Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta, the 65,000-square-foot, three-story SUMMIT is the epitome of Manhattan modernization. It combines art, technology, and architecture to create a thrilling, multisensory experience informed by a spectacular view of New York City enhanced by 30,375 square feet of mirrors and abundant natural light. It makes you feel as if you’re floating in a virtually boundless space in the clouds.

If you’re looking for one of the most thrilling things to do in NYC, you need to check out Levitation. On the 92nd floor, glass boxes thrust out from the exterior of the building and suspend guests 1,100 feet above Madison Avenue. Those brave enough to look down will feel as if they’re standing on thin air, far removed from the hustle and bustle of life below. For an extra rush, take Ascent, the world’s largest external glass-bottomed elevators, even higher into the clouds. When you mix this with the lounge and the 360-degree views of the wrap-around outdoor terrace, your relationship with NYC is completely reinvented.

Differences in Experience

Because the SUMMIT art and thrill experience changes by the second with the weather and the position of the sun, every visit you have is unique. And that’s just during the day — SUMMIT becomes a completely different experience at night, when the glittering skyline of the city is most visible and Air: Beacon Mode, a galvanic light show in Affinity and Transcendence I and II that transforms the space into a pillar of luminous color visible from across NYC and New Jersey, activates. You can’t get the full SUMMIT experience without making both daytime and nighttime visits.

What’s more, SUMMIT occasionally observes special events throughout the year. The New Year’s Eve and Independence Day celebrations hosted by SUMMIT, for example, are some of the most memorable holiday experiences in NYC! SUMMIT also sometimes changes things up with seasonal decorations, such as different colors during Pride Month or holiday-themed ornamentation for Valentine’s Day. This all might be accompanied by fireworks flashing over Central Park, parades going through the city streets and waterways, or music festivals and other gatherings shining in the distance. The possibilities are as diverse as New York City itself!

SUMMIT itself is the among best art of New York City. Between features such as a glass floor and a cantilevered outdoor deck, this “observation deck” is a glorious example of modern architecture and design. Come and take advantage of the unique opportunity to experience New York City in a new way. Whether you’re a curious out-of-town visitor or a proud New Yorker looking to see the city in a new way, SUMMIT always has something new to offer.