SUMMIT One Vanderbilt offers a truly elevated experience

Following a fast-moving elevator ride to the 91st floor (it takes all of 43 seconds to arrive there from the base of the building), visitors step out into Transcendence, a mind-bending space comprised of 30,375 square feet of mirrors and 1,215 mirrored panels that fracture and multiply everything from the tip of the Chrysler Building to the beaming sun. Visitors see themselves everywhere, into infinity. And while the windows were engineered to let in as much light as possible, they were also designed to prevent glare. So, sunglasses are optional, but cameras are definitely recommended. Oh, and don’t feel like you’re wasting time if you have to use the bathroom: the ones at SUMMIT have some of the world’s best views!

SUMMIT has topped many lists of the “most Instagrammable destinations” throughout the world, and it’s thanks to this remarkable room in particular. Filled with silver, reflective spheres that are propelled through the space by circulating air, it’s not just a great photo opp—it’s an opportunity to let go and have fun. Visitors can bop the balloons about and, in turn, feel as if they’re up in the clouds as well.

Daring adventurers can walk out into fully transparent glass sky boxes that jut out from the edge of the skyscraper, so that the only thing between them and the ground far below is the sheet of glass beneath their feet. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart, but SUMMIT has a camera posted at an upper corner, perfect for helping you snap the uniquely posed selfie high above the city.

SUMMIT offers unique elements to the immersive experience at night: the floor-to-ceiling mirrored columns in Transcendence light up with a multitude of colors that are choreographed to audio sounds. But, day-to-night isn’t the only way to see things a bit differently. Visitors have been able to experience lightning storms and blizzards like never before, thanks to the effects provided by the mirrored space.

Whereas observation decks can make visitors feel small (looking 1,100 feet down and seeing people no larger than ants can certainly have that effect!), SUMMIT’s goal is quite the opposite. By allowing people to interact in these spaces—like in the form of reflections within Transcendence—SUMMIT seeks to show how everyone is interconnected, not just to one another but to the greater ecosystem of New York City—and the world.