For many years now no one has been surprised by glass walls and roofs. But there are also many structures in the world in which transparent is floor. Most often these are buildings that are related to tourism. And today we will talk about 10 most beautiful and unusual similar cases from all over the world.
Glass balcony in a Chicago skyscraper
On the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower in Chicago is one of the most unusual observation decks in the world. Its most interesting element is the all-glass balcony that protrudes outward. Even the floor in this architectural element is made of strong transparent material, which gives it a special extreme.
For five years it was believed that this glass floor was absolutely safe for visitors. But recently an emergency occurred - the strongest glass in it burst. There were, of course, no casualties. But the company that operates this observation deck in the Sears Tower has taken measures to ensure that this never happens again - it has installed even stronger and thicker glass.
And if the Sears Tower skyscraper was put into operation in Chicago in 2009, then in Moscow there has been an observation deck with a glass floor for several decades. It is located at an altitude of 337 meters in the Ostankino TV tower.
But this is not a balcony. The glass floor on the observation deck in Ostankino is built in separate blocks into a regular floor. Each of these elements is designed to support a weight of up to 10 tons.
Observation deck over the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River
The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular and most visited tourist attractions in the United States of America. And in 2007, a very unusual object opened on one of its slopes - the Grand Canyon Skywalk observation deck.
What makes it unusual is that this horseshoe-shaped structure, hovering over the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, has a glass floor. And people walking along it are essentially walking over a 350-meter abyss of one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Statistics show that about 10 percent of Grand Canyon Skywalk visitors, after seeing this glass floor with their own eyes, refuse to walk on it, even though they have already paid money to enter the site.
Even more terrifying for some visitors is walking along a scenic path in the Tianmen Mountains in Hunan Province, China. After all, about seventy meters of the path pass through a structure with a glass floor. And this is at an altitude of 1.2 kilometers!
However, several years ago the path in this place was even more terrible and dangerous. After all, the modern tourist path is located on the site of the old path of the monks who lived in these mountains. And they didn’t have any glass floor or safe railings - they walked along separate ledges, clinging to hooks driven into the rock and ropes stretched between them.
The futuristic-looking Apple store in New York became the first building of a huge network that later entangled the whole world. It has spawned many imitations all over the planet. And not only the walls and ceiling, but also the floor are made of glass in this building. True, the latter is slightly foggy so that people on the lower floors cannot “admire” from below the intimate parts of the body of store visitors walking on the level above.
A glass floor inside a building is possible not only in tall skyscrapers or multi-story stores. It is quite appropriate to do it in . Especially if it is located somewhere in the Maldives and stands on stilts in the middle of the warm azure ocean.
One of the buildings of the LUX* Maldives hotel boasts such an interior. In the living room of this bungalow, a coffee table sits on a glass floor, and armchairs and sofas are arranged around it.
There are similar design elements in other hotels in the Maldives. For example, in Water Villa on Nunu Atoll.
The Sky Tower radio tower, like the Ostankino TV tower, boasts an observation deck with glass floor elements located at an altitude of more than 300 meters above the earth's surface. But still, another similar element of the Sky Tower design is more interesting to us.
When ascending to the above-mentioned observation deck in the Sky Tower, the tourist rides in a high-speed elevator, which has part of the floor also made of glass. True, he has to admire not the panoramas of the city of Auckland, but the elevator shaft of the tower.
Even those people who, in principle, are comfortable with heights, are afraid to sit in some cabins of the Ngong Ping 360 cable car in Hong Kong. But they also cannot travel in a trailer flying through the sky, which has strong, bullet-proof glass installed instead of the usual floor.
These cabins on the Ngong Ping 360 cable car are called Crystal Cabins, and travel in them costs more than in ordinary cars with a metal floor.
In another Chinese metropolis, Shanghai, it's not the cable car cabin that has a glass floor, but the pool at the Holiday Inn. Moreover, this part of it is a balcony located on the twenty-fourth floor of the building.
This is one of two cases in this review where the best views of the glass floor are from below, rather than from above. A person swimming in such a pool will look like an airplane flying across the sky to others.
The Sundial Bridge over the Sacramento River in the Californian city of Reading is known throughout the world for two facts. Firstly, it was built according to the design of one of the greatest architects of our time - Santiago Calatrava.
Secondly, the surface of this pedestrian bridge is completely covered with transparent glass, which allows you to achieve incredible visual effects both during the day and in the evening.
We are already accustomed to glass panoramic walls, but what if there is a glass floor?
What if this floor is at an altitude of 100 or 1000 meters?
The glass cube is located on the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower in Melbourne.
The observation deck “sticks out” from the high-rise building by 3 meters.
The deck is located 300 meters from ground level.
Skywalk platform observation deck in Sydney, Australia
Outdoor observation deck at Sydney Tower.
The outdoor observation deck is at an altitude of 268 meters, and at an altitude of 250 meters there is a closed observation deck with a regular floor.
Five Fingers observation deck in the Austrian Alps
The Five Fingers site is located above Lake Hallstatt in Austria.
Each of the “fingers” protrudes 4 meters above the abyss 400 meters deep.
All “fingers” have their own flavor.
there is a frame on the first finger so that visitors can take a photo portrait as a souvenir;
the second finger has a floor made of transparent glass so that visitors can literally “hang over the abyss”;
the third (central) finger is shorter than the others and is closed to visitors - this symbolizes the inaccessibility and freedom of the mountains;
at the fourth finger there is a hole in the floor through which you can observe the cliff below;
a free telescope is installed on the fifth finger.
Observation deck in Triassic Park, Austria
The coral-shaped observation deck is located in Triassic Park, Waidring, Tyrol.
The floor on the site is partially glass.
Tower Bridge in London, UK
The glass floor of the gallery at the top of Tower Bridge is 42 meters high, 11 meters long and almost 2 meters wide.
Visitors can watch the bridge being raised and see ships sailing along the Thames.
AlpspiX observation deck in Germany
The AlpspiX observation deck is located above the "Hell Valley" in the Bavarian Alps.
The platform consists of two crossed platforms. One of them is “pushed” into the abyss by 13 meters, and the other by 11 meters. The length of each platform is 24 meters and the width is 3 meters.
The floor, however, is not glass, but lattice, but still transparent, everything is visible.
Observation deck in Jasper National Park,
Alberta, Canada
In Canada's Jasper National Park, located in Alberta, there is an observation deck called Glacier Skywalk.
It is located at an altitude of 280 meters above the Sunwapta Valley.
Observation deck on the TV tower in Calgary, Alberta Province, Canada
The observation deck is located on the television tower in Calgary.
Height above ground - 191 meters
Suspension bridge in Hunanpijang village, Hunan province, China
The bridge is located above the gorge at a height of 180 meters.
The bridge is constantly swaying in the wind!
Bridge on Tianmen Rock, Hunan Province, China
In Hunan Province, China, a glass observation bridge was built on the Tianmen cliff, 1430 meters high.
The length of the glass section is 60 meters, the width is about a meter
Tourists are given cloth galoshes to walk along the glass walkway, which is 2.5 inches thick.
There are also cantilevered viewing platforms. There is glass under your feet, and under the glass there is an abyss.
Yunduan Bridge in Chongqing, China
The bridge is built on top of a steep cliff.
The length of the suspended platform is 26.68 meters, and the depth of the gorge under it reaches 718 meters. The structure was designed to withstand an earthquake of up to magnitude 8.
The Yunduan Bridge can accommodate up to 200 people at a time: the structure is designed for loads of up to 9 tons per square meter.
Glass corridor and observation deck in Shanghai, China
The glass corridor and observation deck are located in the Shanghai World Financial Center.
The floor is not solid, but consists of individual glass inserts. The height above the ground is 474 meters.
Observation deck on the Ostankino TV tower, Moscow, Russia
The observation deck of the Ostankino TV tower is located at an altitude of 337 meters.
Each of these elements is designed to support a weight of up to 10 tons.
Grand Canyon Skywalk, USA
Skywalk Observation Deck is the world's first horseshoe-shaped cantilever glass bridge, soaring above the Grand Canyon at an altitude of about 1200 meters and at a distance of 21 meters from the edge of the abyss.
No cables or brackets limit the 720° view. The 10 cm thick transparent floor of the bridge and its entire open glass structure make it possible to “take a step from the edge of the Grand Canyon” and take a bird's eye view of this amazing natural wonder.
The Skywalk bridge is 3 m wide, 42 m long, and the walls are 1.5 m high. Today, the Grand Canyon SkyWalk is the tallest building in the world and the first structure of its kind in the world, and the reinforcing bars holding the bridge are the largest in the world. Interestingly, no cranes were used during the construction of this engineering miracle.
"Infinity Room" over the abyss in the USA
The Infinity Room is located in Wisconsin.
The "endless" room has 3,264 windows and ends with a glass floor above the treetops.
Glass balcony in Chicago, Illinois, USA
The glass balcony is located on the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower in Chicago. In total, the skyscraper has 110 floors.
There are 4 glass balconies and each of them can withstand a load of 5 tons.
The height above the ground is 412 meters, the width of the balconies is 1.22 meters.
Observation deck “Step into the Void” in the French Alps
Observation deck "Step Into the Void". located at the top of the Aiguille du Midi mountain in France
The glass room has five transparent sides, each of which consists of three heavy-duty glass layers.
And under your feet - 1035 meters of alpine air and glaciers, ahead - a magnificent view of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps.
Several glass pedestrian bridges have been built, arousing great interest among tourists and local residents. They give a delightful sensation when crossing over an abyss and allow the pedestrian to test his courage and bravery.
Glass bridges are a national hobby of the Chinese. Nowhere in the world are there so many such structures as in China. They are very popular, and their number increases exponentially every year.
Today these bridges are trending in China. Their construction is inexpensive, and the effect of the influx of tourists quickly pays for the investment. No less in demand here are glass paths over steep cliffs and observation decks with glass floors.
1) . It is located at an altitude of about 300 m, has a length of more than 400 m and can simultaneously support up to eight hundred people.
The glass covering of the lower part of the structure was subjected to a huge number of safety tests for pedestrians, incl. for resistance to high and low ambient temperatures, their sudden changes, strong winds, etc.
Because of the glass floor, the bridge looks invisible, and pedestrians have the feeling that they are walking on air, floating in the clouds. But such a trip is not possible for children and people suffering from actophobia - fear of heights. They may have a nervous attack.
2) The second bridge in Hunan Province can be found in Zhangjiajie Park. It is called the Bridge of the Brave. It is about 300 m long and hangs between two hills at an altitude of about 180 m.
Previously, the bridge was made of wood, but gradually the interest of tourists and vacationers in the park began to fade away, and a modern decision was made: to make it of glass. First, we conducted an experiment: we covered a small part with glass.
Visitors to the park liked to walk high above the ground in the clouds, then it was decided to make this entire pedestrian walking bridge glass. Since then it has enjoyed deafening popularity.
Experts are confident that a 6 cm thick glass floor is completely safe and you can jump on it. But few people dare to take such actions. The vast majority of pedestrians move across the bridge with their eyes closed or crawling.
3) "Cracking" glass bridge in China near Mount Taihanshan is located at an altitude of almost 1,200 meters. In fact, the appearance of “cracks” is an attraction or a special effect, a way to once again test pedestrians’ courage.
It is important to note that such a special effect can simply cause a myocardial infarction for an unprepared pedestrian. Local authorities believe that this is just a playful “provocation”, but continue to be criticized among the population.
But in 2015, the special effect glass actually began to crack, so it was removed and repaired. But after the renovation, they installed “cracked” glass, explaining this by the great popularity of the attraction among spectators.
4) A new glass bridge has appeared in southern China, only the most courageous and reckless people will be able to walk along it. It goes around a sheer cliff at an altitude of more than 1,500 meters, called "Writhing Dragon" and leads to Mount Tianmen.
The length of the bridge is more than 100 meters, it is narrow - about 1.5 meters. Walking along it, pedestrians see pictures of the surrounding nature of extraordinary beauty: the valley below and the mountains floating past the clouds.
Glass observation decks and trails
1) Near Beijing there is the famous Shilin Forest. This forest has a platform with a glass floor. It has an area of more than 400 km. m, a height of more than 400 m and gives an excellent overview of Shilin: huge stones mixed with trees.
2) In the south of China, a path more than 250 m long was opened in the mountains in 2015. It is located on the steep side of the mountain, and in order to walk along it, considerable courage is required, which the Chinese love to demonstrate.
3) The Yunduan glass observation deck is located at an altitude of more than 700 m. It was opened in the summer of 2015, extends far into the abyss from the mountain cliff to which it is attached, and offers viewers a magnificent view from above.
| VK: |
Getting to know the most beautiful places in the world would not be so memorable if there were no specially equipped observation platforms. Towering over beautiful landscapes or architectural masterpieces, one experiences a completely different sensation compared to walking tours and sightseeing from the ground.
Staying on extreme observation decks with glass floors gives a special thrill to the sensations. The use of special high-strength laminated glass makes such attractions absolutely safe. The feeling of flying over the abyss, weightlessness over dizzying expanses attracts travelers like a magnet.
Stepping onto the transparent floor of the observation deck for the first time, people feel an intoxicating shiver in their knees. Experienced travelers feel much more confident - they are happy to take pictures against the backdrop of magnificent open spaces. To experience such sensations without worrying about their safety - for the sake of such a chance, tourists travel thousands of kilometers to the most remote corners of the planet.
Glass cabin in the Alps
On the top of the Aiguille du Midi mountain, part of the Mont Blanc massif, at an altitude of 3842 meters, a transparent glass cabin was built. The extreme attraction is part of a large tourist complex, to which travelers ascend by cable car. Visitors enjoy magnificent views of the Alpine landscapes. High-strength triplex glass was used to make the observation deck. The cabin, cantilevered from the edge of a mountain slope, withstands wind gusts of 220 kilometers per hour and does not react to critical temperature changes. Entrance to the observation deck costs visitors $55.
Sky Slide in Los Angeles
An observation deck of an unusual design has been built in Los Angeles. This extreme slide ride with the characteristic name Skyslide is made of the strongest glass 32 mm thick. The 14-meter-long transparent slide offers visitors stunning views of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Pacific Ocean, Santa Catalina Island and Dodger Stadium. The Sky Slide is located between the 69th and 70th floors of California's tallest building, U.S. Bank Tower at an altitude of 305 meters.
The authors of the project set themselves the goal of increasing the attractiveness of the office building. Skyslide copes with its function perfectly: the attraction gained worldwide fame even at the concept development stage. You can feel like a bird soaring over the City of Angels for 8 US dollars. To ride the slide, you must first go to the Skyspace panoramic observation deck - the entrance ticket costs $25. The “flight” lasts only 3 seconds, but this does not reduce the number of people who want to take part in the attraction.
Glass "loop" in Sichuan Province, China
In the Chinese province of Sichuan, a spacious observation deck has been opened, welcoming visitors at an altitude of 717 meters. The structure with a transparent glass bottom hangs over a rocky cliff. The extreme point of the “loop” is located at a distance of 27 meters from the edge of the cliff. Investors invested more than five million dollars in construction. Up to 200 people can be on the extreme track at the same time. This is a limit that is very risky to reach, so for now the staff is ensuring that the number of visitors does not exceed 30 people. Admission price is $10. The developers assure the safety of operating such an architectural miracle in seismically unstable China. The structure will withstand shocks during an earthquake with a magnitude of up to 8 points and a typhoon of level 14.
Skywalk: observation deck in Arizona
The Chinese attraction described above is a copy of the American Skywalk observation deck, built in 2007 in Grand Canyon National Park in northwestern Arizona. The American loop is several meters shorter than the Chinese one. Skywalk is the leader in terms of height – under the transparent base there is an abyss 1219 meters deep. An arched walkway with a glass floor hangs over the abyss.
The observation deck offers stunning views of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. The attraction is extremely popular among tourists from all over the world. Near the observation deck there is a well-equipped small tourist complex. The thickness of the laminated glass is 10 centimeters. Theoretically, the structure can support a weight of up to 70 tons. In fact, no more than 120 people can be on the bridge at the same time. Construction of the attraction cost about $30 million.
Glass bridge in Hunan province of China
A glass suspension bridge was built over one of the deep Chinese canyons in Hunan province at an altitude of 180 meters. The structure sways under gusts of wind, which makes the extreme sensations intensify many times over. The bridge seems fragile and elegant: the bottom is made of transparent triplex, the fence is made of thin metal rods woven into a mesh. But the feeling of danger is deceptive; the parameters of the bridge are precisely calculated with a large margin of safety. The thickness of the triplex is 24 mm. The attraction replaced the old wooden bridge, which was stretched over the abyss between two mountain peaks. The project allowed us to maintain and even increase the level of extreme sports, ensuring complete safety for visitors. The length of the glass suspension bridge is 300 meters. Today it is the second longest glass bridge in the world.
Observation room site in Jasper National Park, Canada
An observation deck has been built in Canada's Jasper National Park, offering views of thousand-year-old glaciers from a height of 450 meters. The structure has the shape of an arc hanging over the abyss. The platform is made of high-strength glass and steel. The apparent simplicity of the design actually conceals a deep artistic intent. According to the designers, rust on metal is associated with rocky ledges, and transparent glass symbolizes ice growths. An extraordinary design idea allowed the structure to blend harmoniously into the surrounding landscape. A visit to the extreme attraction costs $32.
Glass bridge in China's Zhangjiajie National Park
An impressive glass bridge is located on Tianmen Rock in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Hunan Province, at an altitude of 1,430 meters. The width of the bridge does not exceed a meter, the length reaches 60 meters. Walking along a rocky slope along an absolutely transparent path creates a feeling of weightlessness and moving through the air. The thickness of the laminated glass is 63 mm. After walking along the glass path, tourists find themselves on a long cable car, where they continue their acquaintance with the local beauties.
Transparent balcony on a skyscraper in Chicago
In the heart of Chicago, Illinois, stands the 110-story Willis Tower. The height of the building is 443 meters. There are four glass balconies on the 103rd floor of the tallest building in the United States. Absolutely transparent structures made of four-centimeter glass can withstand weight up to 5 tons. A visit to the attraction costs fans of extreme sensations $15. Glass balconies are very popular among tourists and city residents. Children experience special joy from “flying” over the metropolis - little extreme sports enthusiasts visit Willis Tower in excursion groups.
Longest glass bridge in the world, China
In 2016, another glass bridge opened in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. This time, Chinese engineers have created a real record holder - the longest glass bridge in the world. The length of the structure is 430 meters, width – 6 meters. A thick layer of glass separates visitors from the 375 m deep abyss. Up to 800 people can be on the bridge at the same time. In addition to traditional tests of the strength of a glass structure, an unusual experiment was organized: in front of tourists they tried to break thick glass with sledgehammers, after which a car was driven over the cracked surface. In this way, visitors were shown the highest strength of the structure and its safety even in the event of cracks.
The Planet Neptune company has been developing various areas of glazing for many years. The company's technical potential allows us to implement complex projects for the construction of transparent observation platforms, bridges and balconies. Thanks to such structures, a person can “touch” the tops of mountains and skyscrapers, deep gorges and waterfalls, ancient cities and vast metropolises. High-strength glass structures are one of the most significant technological achievements of our time.
In May 2016, the world's largest glass observation deck was opened 70 km from Beijing. The total area of the Pingu platform is 415 m2, and it is located at an altitude of 400 m. Moreover, all parts, including the floor and side rails, are made of glass. However, you should not be afraid of such an engineering solution. The platform is built of high strength glass with the addition of titanium alloy. The developers are completely confident in the absolute safety of this attraction.
Kinds
The glass platform is located on a 400-meter mountain peak and extends 33 meters from the edge of the cliff. Right under the feet of tourists there is a breathtaking view of the famous Shilin Stone Forest and the Jidong Gorge. The place is truly picturesque: majestic mountains, a fast river, waterfalls. The many steep limestone cliffs resemble a real stone forest. Shilin is even called a wonder of the world. It's hard to believe that this was done by nature.
Thanks to its glass structure and incredible views, Pingu has even been compared to the Skywalk over the Grand Canyon in the United States. The “Heavenly Path” is located at an altitude of 1.2 km, but is extended from the edge by only 20 m and has a smaller area.
Impression
The Pingu observation deck is shaped like a closed circle and resembles a UFO. Everyone can walk along the platform and take a close look at the local beauty. However, for tourists, the glass floor becomes a test of courage and, in a sense, a cure:
- At first, guests experience an adrenaline rush. It’s not easy to see the abyss under your feet. The brain refuses to believe that it is possible to hold on and not fall down. The sensations are compared to a parachute jump.
- Then absolute relaxation sets in. A person begins to feel as if he is floating in the air or in zero gravity. The effect relieves stress and nervous tension, which is especially useful for residents of big cities. Even yogis come to the site in search of nirvana. And some visitors simply lie down on the transparent floor for maximum relaxation.
The glass observation deck is never empty. Crowds of tourists walk along it in search of beautiful views, enlightenment or a good angle for a photo. After all, what could be more original than a shot over an abyss.
