The Shed at Hudson Yards is getting its retractable outer shell

Hudson Yards’s cultural center, the Shed, a six-story performance and exhibition space, is making slow but steady progress on its construction. Around this exact time last year, the skeleton for the $435 million project had already risen beyond the High Line. In a new set of photos captured by Field Condition, we can see the frame for the retractable outer shell in place and starting to gain its translucent paneling.

Installation of the ETFE panels, a highly resistant type of plastic that is durable and lightweight, is underway on the upper portion of the structure. This type of material is not only more suitable than glass, it is also more energy efficient and economical.

The Shed was designed by Diller Scofidio & Renfro in collaboration with the Rockwell Group and will have the capacity to house 1,250 seated people or 2,700 standing in its hall. Flexible overlap space in the two adjoining galleries of the base building allows for an expanded audience in the hall of up to 3,000. When open, the plaza encompasses 20,000 square feet and is ideal for outdoor events.

The project was originally scheduled to open in 2017 but has since pushed back its deadline to 2019.

• Construction Update: The Shed [Field Condition]
• Hudson Yards's quirky Shed takes shape over the High Line [Curbed]