Weighing 600 tons, 45 meters high, costing 150 million dollars: “Vessel” is to become the heart of a new New York district, the Hudson Yards. Now the designs of the building have been unveiled in the presence of New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.
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At first glance, “Vessel” is reminiscent of a Rorschach test. A grid made of steel and concrete winds its way up at confusing angles. The main component of the sculpture are 154 interlocking stairs that lead visitors up almost 2500 steps.
The British designer Thomas Heatherwick was inspired by two motifs when developing the structure: Indian stepwells – and New Yorkers’ fitness mania. If you can’t get to the top on foot, you can take an elevator. The individual parts of “Vessel” are currently being built in Monfalcone, Italy. The structure is then assembled on site. The opening should be in 2018.
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“This is going to be one of the greatest public spaces in New York,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “A place that you have to be and have climbed, an iconic sight.”
A whole new district is currently being built around it. Hudson Yards is the largest development area in New York since the 1930s. By 2024, 15 new skyscrapers with offices and around 4,000 apartments, a luxury shopping mall and a luxury hotel will be built here.
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