On November 3, 2014, One World Trade Center was completed. Towering over the New York City skyline, it stands 1,776 feet tall, from ground level to the top of the spire — a number specifically chosen as a nod to the year in which the Declaration of Independence was signed.
For its The New York Issue, The New York Times decided to capture the scene atop One World Trade Center in a way few other publications ever could.
With the help of National Geographic photographer Jimmy Chin, who happens to work on the 85th floor of One World Trade Center, The New York Times created a virtual reality experience that lets viewers get a view of the world as it’s seen from the top of the spire.
The task of capturing the image might have been daunting for anyone else, but Chin is known for his climbing escapades and the beautiful images he captures while on them. Despite his familiarity with heights, the view and experience of capturing New York City from the top of One World Trade Center are not something Chin will soon forget.
“You’re looking down on something you’re not in, and you feel you’re a long way from where you need to be if you need to be safe,“ Chin told The New York Times. ”At the same time, there’s something therapeutic about seeing great distances. It happens on planes, on mountains, on beaches. I’ll have a meeting with a new client, and we’ll gaze out the window and have this comfortable silence.”
Below are a few posts from Chin’s Instagram showing him in action:
To see the scenery as it’s intended to be viewed, you’ll need a virtual reality rig of some sort, be it an Oculus Rift or simply Google Cardboard.
If you don’t have either of those on hand, don’t worry. Both in the browser and inside YouTube’s smartphone application, you can see the incredible 360-degree view in all its glory.
To accompany the visuals, The New York Times has written a lengthy piece on One World Trade Center and the unique experience its architecture offers those who get to scale the building, be it for work or pleasure.
