The Vessel, a climbable sculpture located in the Hudson Yards megadevelopment on Manhattan’s west side, proved to be a magnet for tourists when it opened in 2019, before a string of suicides forced its closure in 2021. According to a spokesperson for Related Companies, which owns Hudson Yards, the latest New York City iconic structure will reopen to the public later this year with added safety measures including the installation of higher barriers and floor-to-ceiling steel mesh to deter similar tragedies. The top level of the 150-foot (46-meter) structure will remain off limits.
Conceived by the British designer Thomas Heatherwick, this 16-story structure is composed of a network of staircases and landings that offer unique views of the city and the Hudson River. Its honeycomb-like design not only provides a visually stunning experience but also invites visitors to explore the interconnectivity of the space. It is a formidable marriage of architecture, design, and art. Unfortunately, in its initial open version it also proved to be a perfect staging point for suicide.
The Vessel is more than just a tourist attraction, it has been a focal point of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project, symbolizing and at the same time stimulating, the area’s transformation and the innovative spirit of urban development.
This is not the first time that safety enhancements will have been made at the Vessel. After the first three suicides, safety features were added, but this did not prevent a fourth suicide—this time by a 14-year-old who was visiting the city with his family.
Jessica Chait, the chair of the Manhattan community board, praised the current upgrades but lamented that they had not been put in place sooner.
“While we think it took Related four lives too many to make these physical adjustments, these are the changes we requested, which will allow for prioritizing the safety of everyone who visits the Vessel,” she said.
