Vessel by Heatherwick Studio has been completed finally and is now open for public in Manhattan, New York City. It rises to a height of 45 meters and is made of steel. The copper-colored structure is comprised of 54 interconnecting flights of stairs, eighty landing, and 2,500 steps. It offers views of the Hudson River and the city.
The name Vessel is reportedly a temporary name, and the building might get another name. It cost a total of $200 million according to reports. It is the part of a big new neighborhood development that has been named Hudson Yards. Hudson Yards is the biggest private development project ever to happen in the US. It has a total budget of $20 billion.
The construction of the Vessel has taken about a total of two years. It was not an easy task and required fabrication of steel structure in Italy by specialists. Once the steel structure was created, it was shipped in sections across the ocean. The sections were then transported to the site using barges and hoisted into position using a crane.
The peculiar design of the Vessel is not inspired by M.C. Escher despite what many assume. Rather it comes from an experience that the design Thomas Heatherwick had when he was young. Young Thomas had noticed a discarded flight of stairs on a building site. He says, ‘It caught my imagination, and I loved that is part furniture and part infrastructure. You could climb up stairs, jump on them, dance on them, get tired on them and then plonk yourself down on them. Years later, suddenly here was an opportunity to make a new kind of landmark for Hudson Yards.’
The Vessel features elevators and ramps for the disabled. You can walk up the steps features in the Vessel without having to pay. However, you will have to make use of the Hudson Yards website for booking a place online. What do you think of this stairway to nowhere? Do let us know!
