Why is the Vessel controversial?

The Vessel has proved controversial. When it opened in 2019, one critic likened the honeycomb structure, designed by the Briton Thomas Heatherwick, to an enormous kebab. The first suicide at the Vessel happened in February last year. It was closed in January after two people killed themselves in the space of a month.

What is the point of the Vessel NYC?

Upon its opening, Vessel received mixed reviews, with some critics praising its prominent placement within Hudson Yards, and others deriding the structure as extravagant….Vessel (structure)

Vessel
Seen in March 2019, shortly after opening
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
General information
Status	Closed indefinitely

Why is the Vessel New York closed?

The Vessel, a tourist attraction built as a part of the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project, has closed indefinitely after the death of a 14-year-old boy at 1 p.m. on Thursday. The death is believed to have been a suicide, the fourth to occur since the structure’s opening in 2019.

What is the Vessel supposed to be?

Even the Vessel is supposed to be a temporary name, until the public comes up with a better one. Technically, the square the Vessel sits within is public space–but one that lacks some basic features of a public space. There is no place to sit on the structure, unless you block one of the 154 staircases.

Is the Vessel worth visiting?

I’ve visited the Vessel twice and have purposely only gone during sunset. The views are impeccable and worth every minute being there. Because you are elevated on 16 flights of stairs, you can see all the shades of the sun setting behind the buildings across Jersey’s horizon.

Can you climb the Vessel NYC?

The Vessel is an interactive, Thomas Heatherwick and Heatherwick Studio-designed public sculpture meant to be an immersive experience where guests can climb up and around the 154 interlocking staircases for impressive views for New York City’s newest neighborhood, Hudson Yards.

Why is the Vessel famous?

The Vessel was widely viewed as the centerpiece of Hudson Yards, a $25 billion project that was the largest mixed-use private development in U.S. history. All three victims were young adults, all of whom came to the Vessel alone, officials said.

Is the Vessel open again?

The Vessel viewpoint at New York’s Hudson Yards has temporarily closed after a fourth person died by suicide after jumping from the Heatherwick Studio-designed structure. It is the fourth suicide at the tourist attraction designed by British designer Thomas Heatherwick’s studio since it opened in 2019.

Is the Vessel closed for good?

Subsequent suicides followed in December 2020 and January 2021, prompting a temporary closure of the Vessel. And in July 2021, a 14-year old — with his family, who had paid $10 to enter — died by suicide. Since then, the Vessel has been closed. This time, says Ross, it might be for good.

Is the Vessel NYC free?

Tickets to Vessel are FREE during the first hour of operation and $10 per person at all other times. Tickets during the first hour of each day are free with advance reservations. Visitors attend in groups. Tickets are required for all guests.

Is there an elevator in the vessel?

Vessel offers an elevator for those who require it for their visit. Priority Access to the elevator is reserved for visitors with disabilities. Vessel offers priority elevator service every 15 minutes to accessible floor levels 5, 7, and 8.

What is the best time to go to the vessel?

Best Time to Visit the Vessel If you want to visit the Vessel for free, the only time that you can do this is the first hour of the day, from 10 am to 11 am. From our experience, this is also the most crowded time to visit the Vessel. The end of the day would also be a nice time to visit, particularly around sunset.

What is the vessel in Hudson yard?

Today, the Vessel, the $150 million structure in New York’s sprawling new Hudson Yard development, has invited more fantastical descriptions.

Is the vessel a public space?

Technically, the square the Vessel sits within is public space–but one that lacks some basic features of a public space. There is no place to sit on the structure, unless you block one of the 154 staircases.

What does “vessel” mean to you?

According to Heatherwick, “Vessel” was always meant to be a placeholder name until the public experiences it and helps give it a new one. But with questions of its ultimate accessibility, usefulness and symbolic meaning to the public driving much of this criticism, perhaps the British designer won’t be pleased with the results.

How much does it cost to live in the vessel?

The Vessel also serves as an amenity for the neighboring luxury apartment buildings (condos start at $2 million ). The website for one of the luxury towers, 1 Hudson Yards, highlights the fact that the building overlooks the Vessel as a prime reason for why someone should spend $9,000 per month in rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the tower.