The Vessel Reopens with Safety Netting

Details of the floor-to-ceiling steel mesh being installed across the south side of the 150-foot-tall sculpture were revealed in April of this year. The Vessel opened to the public on March 15, 2019, a date that also marked the official opening of the first phase of Hudson Yards, the mixed-use development built by Related Companies on a platform above a rail yard on Manhattan's West Side. Sitting in a park space surrounded by office and residential towers, a mall, and a cultural venue, The Vessel was the most popular part of Hudson Yards after the development's opening, but it was also tragically the site of four suicides: in February 2020, December 2020, January 2021, and July 2021. In all but the last instance, Related Companies instituted safety measures, such as extra security, a “buddy” system requiring groups, and paid admission; the July 2021 suicide led to the sculpture's closure and renewed called for physical safety measures.

The physical barrier, which was reportedly designed by Heatherwick Studio, is made up of a steel safety mesh attached to curved members that extend from the outside of the glass guardrail to the ceiling of the level above. The mesh is designed to withstand any damage, be it from the elements or people trying to cut it, per Related. World-Architects visited a couple days after The Vessel reopened on October 21, snapping some photos — they are below, accompanied by captions with some additional information on the safety measures.