The long-awaited Shed—an eight-level, flexible structure, designed to present an ambitious program of varied new work in the visual and performing arts—is set to open Friday, April 5 on a city-owned site next to the High Line in Manhattan, on the edge of Hudson Yards. For the $475-million building, with its immense, moveable steel shell, wrapped in ETFE panels, Diller Scofidio + Renfro is the lead architect and Rockwell Group is the collaborating architect.

The ETFE shell can extend the performing space out onto the adjacent plaza to accommodate a standing audience of as many as 2,000 people. It’s just one aspect of this unusually adaptable building, with changeable levels, seating and moveable walls, that will host a vast range of commissioned work, from hip hop to classical music; theatrical and dance productions; and art installations.

The opening season includes a new concert by Björk; a collaboration of composer Steve Reich and artist Gerhard Richter; and “Soundtrack of America,” a multi-part exploration of the impact of African-American music on American culture since the 17th century, created by the film director Steve McQueen.

Watch a time-lapse video below of the construction of Hudson Yards, and stay tuned for further coverage of the Shed on ArchitecturalRecord.com next week.

Evening view of The Shed from 30th Street
Photography by Iwan Baan; Courtesy of The Shed

Time-lapse video of Hudson Yards construction courtesy of EarthCam