The Vessel

December 23, 2019

In agreement with Manhattan U.S. Attorney, Hudson Yards’ Vessel will majorly increase accessibility

In an agreement with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney, Hudson Yards developer Related Companies has agreed to significantly increase the accessibility of its Vessel public art piece. The 150-foot-tall climbable sculpture is comprised of 154 interconnecting flights of stairs, nearly 2,500 individual steps, and 80 platform landings. But as it's currently engineered, only three of these platforms, all on the same side of the structure, are accessible via the elevator. According to an announcement from the Department of Justice, Related will now install a "platform lift mechanism that will allow individuals with disabilities to traverse the stairways and platforms at the top levels of the Vessel so as to enjoy 360-degree views."
More details here
March 26, 2019

You can rename Hudson Yards’ climbable ‘Vessel’

Officially open to the public for nearly two weeks, the centerpiece of New York City's newest neighborhood needs a name. Known best as "Vessel," the bronzed steel and concrete sculpture designed by Thomas Heatherwick was never given an official title. Earlier this year, developer Related Companies told 6sqft that "Vessel" was just a placeholder until the public experienced the installation. And with hundreds of selfies taken at the site since its opening on March 15, Related is now asking the public to rename the 150-foot honeycomb-like structure.
Have any ideas?
March 18, 2019

Photos you take of the Vessel at Hudson Yards do not belong to you

Update 3/19/19: Related Companies will revise the language of its terms and conditions after facing backlash for its peculiar photo policy regarding the Vessel, Bloomberg reported Monday. "The intent of the policy is to allow Hudson Yards to amplify and reshare photos already shared on individual social channels through our website and social channels," a spokesperson told Bloomberg. New York City's latest landmark is fit for Instagram, its bronzed steel and concrete perfectly popping in photographs against its glassy super tall neighbors. But to take photos of the free and public centerpiece of Hudson Yards, known as the "Vessel," isn't actually so free. According to the terms and conditions for the sculpture, written by Hudson Yards developer Related Companies and found online, photos and video footage taken of the Vessel belong to the company, not the photographer.
More here
March 18, 2019

PHOTOS: See inside Hudson Yards’ climbable ‘Vessel’

The long-awaited Hudson Yards development opened on Friday and with it, the centerpiece of the 28-acre project: a 150-foot-tall climbable public art piece, known as "Vessel." Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the impressive bronzed steel-and-concrete structure offers visitors a one-mile vertical climbing experience through 154 interconnected flights of stairs and 2,500 individual steps. On Friday, 6sqft joined the first group of people to ever climb the honeycomb-shaped sculpture. Ahead, get up close to the intricately-designed Vessel and learn how to reserve tickets to climb it.
See inside the sculpture
March 15, 2019

After seven years of construction, Hudson Yards is now OPEN

It's been nearly two decades since city officials began plans and rezonings for Manhattan's West Side Yards and seven years since construction began on the selected $20 billion project, Hudson Yards. And as of today, the largest private development in the nation is officially open to the public. New Yorkers can visit the public squares and gardens, the one-million-square-foot shops and restaurants, and probably most anticipated, the Vessel, the 150-foot-tall, climbable public art piece. Ahead, watch a time-lapse video of the 28-acre development under construction and learn more about what's open and what's yet to come.
READ MORE
February 27, 2019

Reservations to climb Hudson Yards’ giant public sculpture are open!

As of today, those who did not sign up for advanced tickets to enter Thomas Heatherwick's 150-foot-tall, honeycomb-shaped public art installation at Hudson Yards can reserve their one-hour time slot. Formerly known as The Vessel, (it's now awaiting an official name), the climbable sculpture officially opens along with the entire development this Friday. The free tickets must be reserved 14 days in advance, so chances are even though the structure can hold a whopping 1,000 people at a time, it's going to be a crowded spring.
More details
January 25, 2019

Thomas Heatherwick’s Hudson Yards sculpture awaits public opinion for official name

Thomas Heatherwick’s 150-foot-tall, honeycomb-shaped climbable public art installation at Hudson Yards is set to open for public climbing in March along with the complex's Shops and Restaurants on March 15. Known for some time as "The Vessel," the bronzed steel and concrete structure has no official title as of yet. As for the former moniker, a Related representative told 6sqft in an email, "It was always a placeholder until the public experienced it. We’re excited to have the public help us with a name."
READ MORE
December 7, 2017

VIDEO: Watch an eight-month time lapse of the Vessel rising in Hudson Yards

The Vessel, the 150-foot vertical sculpture, topped out on Wednesday, following eight months of construction at the Hudson Yards site. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, the 600-ton structure made of bronzed steel and concrete will sit in the center of the development's public square. It includes 154 intricately-laced flights of stairs and 80 landings, rising from a base that measures 50 feet in diameter and widens to 150 feet at the top. The landmark offers a one-mile vertical climbing experience, allowing for unique views of Manhattan's evolving West Side. Related Companies, the group behind the Hudson Yards development, created a time lapse of the Vessel rising, beginning with the fabrication of pieces in Italy, followed by its first placement and then, finally, the structure's topping out on Wednesday.
Watch it rise
December 6, 2017

Thomas Heatherwick’s 150-foot, climbable Vessel tops out in Hudson Yards

The Vessel, a 150-foot-tall climbable sculpture made of bronzed steel and concrete, topped out Wednesday, serving as the public centerpiece of Hudson Yards' Public Square and Gardens. Designed by Heatherwick Studio, the $150 million interactive landmark includes 154 interconnecting flights of stairs, nearly 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings. The idea for the project stems from Related Companies' chairman, Stephen Ross, who called it "New York's Eiffel Tower." The final piece of the 600-ton structure will be installed today, nearly eight months after construction began.
See it here
October 9, 2017

Thomas Heatherwick’s 150-foot climbable ‘Vessel’ hits halfway mark at Hudson Yards

In April, construction began on Hudson Yards' Vessel, a 150-foot-tall steel structure designed by Heatherwick Studio and its 100,000 pound-components were put in place by crane. The $200 million "public landmark" began to rise in August and now the structure's construction has hit its halfway mark. The project's idea comes from Related Companies' chairman Stephen Ross, who called it the "365-day Christmas tree." The climbable Vessel will be the centerpiece of the Public Square and Gardens, five-acres of greenery that will connect the buildings of Hudson Yards. The structure includes 154 geometric-lattice linked flights of stairs, 80 landings and will able to hold 1,000 visitors.
Find out more
April 18, 2017

Related’s Stephen Ross kicks off construction on Hudson Yards’ 150-foot climbable ‘Vessel’

The standard for public art spaces has officially reached new heights. Today, the installation has begun on Vessel, an innovative landmark designed by Heatherwick Studio at Hudson Yards. As 6sqft previously wrote, the project’s idea stems from Related Companies' chairman Stephen Ross, who chose Heatherwick to design the $200 million (up as of today from the original $150 million estimate) large-scale piece of art. After being fabricated and constructed in Monfalcone, Italy, the first ten pieces of the 150-foot-tall steel structure arrived in January at the Port of Newark via ship and then traveled across the Hudson River. And as of this morning, Ross was on site to mark the first of these massive components (they each weigh close to 100,000 pounds) being put into place by crane.
See photos from Vessel's installation and watch a video of Stephen Ross' remarks
January 13, 2017

Pieces of Thomas Heatherwick’s massive, climbable ‘Vessel’ arrive at Hudson Yards site

Back in September, Related Companies chairman Stephen Ross finally unveiled the large-scale artwork that would anchor the central public space within Hudson Yards. As Ross revealed, Thomas Heatherwick was chosen to design the piece, and it would cost an incredible $150 million to build. Dubbed "The Vessel,” the climbable sculpture would rise 16-stories—150 feet tall, 50 feet wide at its base and 150 feet wide at the top—and consist of a web of 154 concrete and steel staircases with 2,500 steps, 80 landings and an elevator; the piece, in fact, so massive that it could comfortably accommodate 1,000 visitors at a time. The sculpture was to be constructed in Monfalcone, Italy before being shipped to its home on the Hudson River. And now CityRealty reports that parts of what Ross once called "New York's Eiffel Tower" have officially arrived at the site and await assembly.
More photos this way
September 14, 2016

REVEALED: Thomas Heatherwick’s $150M climbable Hudson Yards sculpture ‘The Vessel’

It was nearly three years ago that Related Companies chairman Stephen Ross boasted that Hudson Yards' public art piece would be "New York’s Eiffel Tower," and after an unveiling today of the massive sculpture that will anchor the central public space, it seems he might not have been too far off.
More details and renderings this way