Check Out this Visual Treat…

In an elevator?

The elevators in New York’s 1 World Trade Center building offer a virtual trip through time as they take visitors up from ground level to the observation deck. And the return trip is even cooler.

Reminiscent of the flying glass elevator from Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, three walls of the elevator are covered with video screens that deliver an animation that attempts to convince riders that they’re leaving the building and flying around the southern tip of Manhattan before returning inside the structure for the bottom few floors. It’s a really amazing use of technology to take something utterly mundane and even challenging into an utter joy. I can’t believe one of the things I’ve just added to my bucket list is “ride those elevators” but as this video from The Times shows, it’s a pretty impressive trip. Maybe the most interesting elevator ride in the world.