Vessel by Heatherwick Studio | Landmark Architecture | Case Study | ArchOnTube

Vessel is a new type of public landmark located in New York, United States. A 16-story circular climbing frame, with 2,465 steps, 80 landings, and views across the Hudson River. Vessel is designed by prominent Heatherwick Studios. Let's see the concept and analysis of this structure. Hudson Yards Development, one of the largest real estate projects in American history with more than five acres of new public spaces and garden. Heatherwick Studio was asked to design a centerpiece for Hudson Yards, something that would welcome visitors into the heart of the district and create a new place to meet in New York. Part of the challenge was to create something memorable that would not be overwhelmed by the surrounding cluster of towers or the scale of the new public space above the railway lines. Thomas Heatherwick wanted people to touch and feel, instead of watch and clap. They wanted people to interact, socialize, and making a heart for Hudson Yard. But not in a passive way, not as an object which people will look at and take photograph and move on, but something would genuinely bring people together. Exploring different possibilities, the team started to narrow the parameters. It should be a memorable single object, not a series of objects dispersed throughout the space. It should be a social encounter which encourages activity and participation. After many studies, the concept of Vessel was emerged and influenced in part from step wells in Rajasthan, India. Vessel is 50 feet wide at its base, expanding to 150 feet at the apex. Vessel is a 16-story structure of connected staircases, located in the five-acre Hudson Yards Public Square. Vessel has 154 flights, 2,500 steps, and 80 landings, with the total length of the stairs exceeding one mile. Vessel can hold 1,000 people at a time. But the entry is limited to 700. For Vessel, the Heatherwick Studio worked very closely with the engineers. Engineers came up with the idea to break the structure into 75 pieces. The 75 huge steel components were produced in Venice, being brought from Italy in six shipments, carried across the Hudson River by barge, and assembled on site. It took almost three years to finish. Although Vessel had originally been slated to cost $75 million, the projections were later revised to between $150 to $200 million. Heatherwick attributed the greatly increased price tag to the complexity of building the steel pieces. There's a duality in the materials used in the project. When you look up you can see a highly reflective wall materials that allow you to see people surrounding the Vessel. When you're on the project looking downwards you can see urban palette of concrete. The reflection in all of the soffit panels will be everyone that's walking around or standing. Vessel was criticized for its photo policies. The owner of the Vessel and Hudson Yards claimed ownership of all pictures and videos taken of Vessel. Photos and videos should not be used for commercial purposes without paying the royalty fees. After criticism emerged about this copyright policy, they modified the policy so visitors would have ownership of photos of Vessel. After Vessel opened, critics wrote that it was largely inaccessible for wheelchair users. As built, Vessel mainly consisted of stairs, with only a single elevator to connect one of the sets of the landing. Because of this, disability rights group protested outside the structure. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint because of the number of landings within the Vessel. Most of the structure was not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, except for the portions directly outside the elevator. Overall, some critics praised Vessel for its prominent placement within Hudson Yards and others deriding the structure as extravagant. Unfortunately, Vessel is closed for public now. The four suicides which happened across these years made Hudson Yards to close for public safety reasons. Heatherwick Studios hopes that over the decades people will embrace the project and it will become the part of the fabric of New York. What do you guys think about Vessel? Is Vessel a unnecessary structure or a worthy landmark for Hudson Yards? Tell us your opinion in the comments. Thank you for watching this video. Like this video to support our channel. Share and subscribe for more architecture related content.