Anyone who has taken the cable car up to the Aiguille du Midi, located at 3842m, high above Chamonix, or even shuffled along the arête from there to the start of the Vallee Blanche run, will be all to aware of the long drop to the valley below.
A glass balcony sticking out in to the void is now under construction and due to open this winter to provide a very visual reminder of just how big the world's largest lift-served vertical drop actually is.
Work began in September to prepare for the installation of the glass structure that will allow Aiguille du Midi visitors to experience the sensations of having the huge void under their feet, all in complete safety.
The Aiguille du Midi Skywalk is a first at this altitude, a first with the materials used, a first in the techniques used, a first in the extreme conditions that can it be exposed to all year round. The glass plates are made of 3 layers of tempered glass each 12 mm thick. A transparent film binds the layers optically together without any alteration of transparency.
The design specification required the build to be transparent giving as clear a vision as possible, without visual obstruction. Facing Mont Blanc at 3842m, its design is unique and represents a true technological and architectural innovation using glass and steel, it can withstand winds of 220km per hour and a temperature range of about 60°
The glass plates of the five faces of the structure are held together by mechanical fasteners which were specifically developed for this project.
The unit is fixed to a vertical support structure for the suspension over the void. The overall design eliminates any metallic structure ensuring an untouched field of view for the visitor.
This Skywalk is due to open from the 21st of December, the opening date of the Aiguille du Midi after its annual closure on the 4th of November.
www.compagniedumontblanc.co.uk.