Climbable sculpture in Hudson Yards in Manhattan closed in 2021 after four people died by suicide

The Vessel, the huge climbable centerpiece of New York’s upmarket Hudson Yards development that saw a number of suicides, is set to reopen later this year with new safety features, according to developers.

The 150ft sculpture, designed by Thomas Heatherwick and built at a cost of $260m, was closed three years ago after four people jumped to their deaths. Besides overall criticism of its design – including descriptions of it as a giant gold shish-kebab rotisserie – the construction was grimly described to the Guardian as “staircase to nowhere”.

Before its closure, Related Companies, the company that controls Hudson Yards, imposed a $10 entrance fee and a rule requiring that visitors do not climb the structure alone. But that plan proved unsuccessful when a 14-year-old boy jumped in front his family.

    • RubberElectrons@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Exactly how I fuckin’ felt about it on first view. A giant gold piece of shit to get a little higher than the much nicer, free, highline park right next to it.

      Fool and their money, etc.

    • LCP@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      In case anyone finds this comment, the last time I checked it out I was able to get free tickets. You gotta find the person working there holding a QR code. Scan the code and it auto-adds some coupon code to your booking, making the tickets free.