After nearly three years of closure in light of tragic events, “The Vessel” at Hudson Yards in New York has reopened with new precautions. The 150-foot-tall structure from Heatherwick Studio, which first opened in 2019, quickly became an icon on Manhattan’s West Side.
It was, however, forced to close in January 2021 after four people-all under age 25-took their lives within an 18-month period, stirring wide concern over the safety of the site and leading to its prolonged closure for reevaluation.
Reopening for Hudson Yards
The reopening was a momentous day for the Vessel, Hudson Yards, and New York City as it brought back an architectural centerpiece that was built as part of New York’s largest private real estate development with new enhancements in safety to head off further tragedies. This was important to ensure that the landmark could let visitors in again safely.
Perhaps the most identifiable addition toward safety entails floor-to-ceiling steel mesh barriers up the stairwells and viewing platforms of the structure. These really complete the visitor’s sense without foregoing the safety concerns it had presented in the past. Engineers worked with Heatherwick Studio, the original designer, to find such a solution that could have the structure reopen permanently but safely.
Limited Access with Focus on Safety
Whereas the Vessel’s top level has remained closed to the public, the first two levels are complete and open now. Once more, visitors can view New York City and the Hudson River from the lower platforms-again, this time with the promise of seriously improved safety.
First envisioned as an interactive public landmark within the mega-Hudson Yards development of 14 acres, including residential towers, offices, shopping, and cultural places, Hudson Yards-developed by leading architecture firms like BIG, SOM, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro-is itself a symbol of New York’s ambition for modern urban development. It is a honeycomb-like structure featuring about 2,500 steps and 80 landings within itself that visitors can climb up and enjoy panoramic views at each height.
Public Space Safety
The tragedies at Vessel brought profound questions about what a public space could do to help keep visitors safe and well. It put in place consultations with experts in suicide prevention, engineers, and psychiatrists on how best it could reduce further occurrences. Installing the steel mesh barriers was part of that larger effort in creating a safe environment without compromising the uniqueness of the structure.
The reopening of the Vessel is only one among many necessary steps Hudson Yards is doing in trying to go back-premier tourist destination-while taking consideration of the tragic events from the past. It is new safety measures, providing security without taking away from the architectural aspect of the structure, especially the steel mesh barriers.
Now, New York moves in a constant state of flux, yet the Vessel is appropriately both an icon of architectural genius and a very harsh reminder of public safety in space design.
