Balloon over the city captures the view from future towers

Images intended to help developers and architects with pricing, design

Aerial photograph from white balloon (Credit: airphotoslive.com) (Inset: Curt Westergard)
Aerial photograph from white balloon (Credit: airphotoslive.com) (Inset: Curt Westergard)

Virginia-based Digital Design and Imaging Services sent a large balloon into the sky over Manhattan this week to snap photographs of future skyscrapers’ views for developers and architects.

The white balloon was launched on the Lower East Side, then sent to 57th Street, near the East River, the New York Times reported. A laser range finder controls the height of the balloon from the ground. The balloon is transported in a trailer and released into the air, guided by a mast.

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The company, led by architect Curt Westergard, sent the balloon up as high as 1,376 feet, in order to reach the observation deck of 1 World Trade Center. The images shot by the balloon assist developers and architects in determining the price and design of their projects, the New York Times reported. [NYT]Mark Maurer