Observation decks are remarkable architectural structures that allow people to enjoy stunning views without any risk to their lives. You no longer need to be a climber to scale hundreds of metres and look down at the earth below.
Losko Magazine has gathered 10 observation decks whose architecture is every bit as impressive as the views they offer.
1. The 'Skywalk' above the Grand Canyon
The observation deck with the evocative name 'Skywalk' is located at the Grand Canyon at an altitude of 1,219.2 metres. Extending 20 metres out over the abyss, the horseshoe-shaped platform creates the sensation of floating in mid-air, as both the floor and the railings are made of glass.
What appears at first glance to be a fragile structure is in fact capable of withstanding earthquakes of up to magnitude eight, wind gusts of up to 160 km/h, and a load of up to 70 tonnes. The deck was designed by architect Mark Ross Johnson (Mark Ross Johnson).
2. The Warp Wooden Platform in China
Hong Kong architects John Lin (John Lin) and Olivier Ottevaere (Olivier Ottevaere) renovated a wooden platform in the village of Ludian, Yunnan Province (China). It was built following the 2014 earthquake and now serves as a gathering and recreational space for local residents.
The platform not only offers views over the picturesque region, but also echoes the contours of the local landscape in its form.
3. SkyPoint observation deck in Australia
Architect Kent Elliott designed Q1 Tower, Australia's tallest skyscraper, located in the city of Gold Coast. On the 78th floor, at a height of 230 metres, sits an observation deck. The panoramic view of Byron Bay and the expanse of the Pacific Ocean is genuinely breathtaking — yet standing behind thick glass, you feel none of the wind in your hair, none of the adrenaline.
For those who don't suffer from acrophobia, there is the option to climb even higher — to 270 metres, on foot, in the open air. The ascent takes 90 minutes, though it is not for everyone: there are a number of restrictions based on both age and medical conditions.
4. Trollstigen in Norway
Observation decks tend to become a striking focal point within natural landscapes. Yet the studio Reiulf Ramstad sought to keep its intervention to a minimum, designing a Trollstigen visitor centre that sits in quiet harmony with its surroundings.
It stands along the long-celebrated tourist route of the same name. The project encompasses not only the observation deck but also the stairway leading up to it, restaurants, and rest pavilions. This is unquestionably a place worth pausing at, to see the magnificent mountain scenery in a new light.
5. Glacier Skywalk in Canada
Many people have surely dreamed of gazing out over the mountains from a bird's-eye view — not through an aircraft window, but with the freshness and cold of ancient glaciers all around them. That no longer seems like an impossibility, as every visitor to Jasper National Park (Jasper National Park) can now take in a stunning mountain panorama.
The deck is built on the same principle as the Skywalk above the Grand Canyon, extending several metres out over the abyss in the shape of a horseshoe. The project was designed by Sturgess Architecture, with toughened glass used here, too, as the floor.
6. Glass observation decks in France
The Aiguille du Midi is a mountain summit in France rising to 3,842 metres. There is no question that the view from up there is extraordinary. But for the architects, that was not enough, and Pierre-Yves Chays (Pierre-Yves Chays) constructed a fully transparent observation deck enclosed by walls of 12-millimetre glass.
In terms of size, it is closer to a lift cabin — but what a lift cabin. Stepping inside, you feel as though you are weightless, alone with the white silence. The Step into the Void deck (Step into the Void) opened at the end of December 2013 and has already earned renown as the highest visitor attraction in Europe.
7. Top of Tyrol in Austria
The structure designed by the studio LAAC Architekten makes no claim to refined beauty. It is a straightforward construction in weathering steel — hardly surprising, given that the platform sits on fragile mountain rock and is almost permanently blanketed in snow.
Even so, it made GEO magazine's list of the ten most beautiful observation decks in the world. Perched at 3,210 metres beneath Mount Isidor in Austria, the platform offers an extraordinary sense of calm as the mountains spread out below — provided, of course, that the weather is on your side.
8. Quilotoa Shalala in Ecuador
Thanks to its remarkable geography, the volcano Quilotoa (Quilotoa), situated at the westernmost edge of the Ecuadorian Andes, has become a popular destination for travellers. What draws people here is not only the lake's extraordinary colour, but the sensation of standing at the very heart of a volcano — inside the crater itself.
The viewing platform lets visitors take in the scene from every angle. The structure is arranged across several levels: the uppermost tier juts out over the sheer drop, giving a feeling of weightlessness that sets the heart racing, while the lower level, by contrast, is for those who prefer to contemplate nature's beauty in quiet — or who simply have a fear of heights.
9. Observation tower on the Mur river in Austria
From this observation point there are no magnificent mountains or crater lakes to admire, yet the tower itself is well worth the visit. It stands on the bank of the Mur river in Austria.
The tower takes the form of two intertwining spiral staircases — one for the ascent, the other for the descent. Long before you reach the highest point at 27 metres, you will already have begun to enjoy the panorama, as each step reveals a new view.
10. Observation tower in Belgium
In the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, a platform has been built that seems to defy the laws of gravity. It was designed by the studio Close to Bone after vandals burned down the original tower.
In its place now stands a new structure in reddish-brown Corten steel, which reads as a work of art in its own right and is looked after by local residents. It also reminds us that mountains are not the only thing worth gazing at from an observation deck. Sometimes fields and trees can prove more captivating than any Alpine panorama, when seen from a different vantage point.
