The Vessel at Hudson Yards

A Most Magnificent Object has Risen

Recently, I visited Hudson Yards in New York City, located between West 30th and 34th streets on the Lower West Side of Manhattan between 10th and 11th Avenues.

One of the most impressive aspects of Hudson Yards is the Vessel, a pedestrian-walkway towering some 16 stories above the main plaza. Let’s delve into its history and construction.

The Vessel

The Vessel is the calling card of Hudson Yards. It is ominous in its stature and reminds me of an M.C. Escher drawing.

The Vessel at Hudson Yards

The Vessel Up Close

I dined at a restaurant on the fifth floor of the Hudson Yards building with the Vessel looming large in the background.

Larry Sitting in a Restaurant Reflecting on the Vessel

Who Designed the Vessel?

The Vessel was designed by the British designer, Thomas Heatherwick, of Heatherwick Studios. The site shows various aspects of the Vessel. According to a Wikipedia article, the vessel is a honeycomb-like structure that rises 16 stories and consists of 154 flights of stairs, 2,500 steps, and 80 landings for visitors to climb. Its final cost is estimated at $200 million. Arup the consulting company hired by the developers of Hudson Yards – Related Companies – provided engineering and consulting services, including the development of the Vessel.

Below is a diagram of the Vessel from the Arup website; they used their proprietary software, MassMotion, to model how humans would navigate the Vessel.

Seeing Hudson Yards from Google Earth

Another viewpoint of Hudson Yards can be seen by using Google Earth. Below is a screenshot of the Vessel.

Google Earth View of the Vessel at Hudson Yards

The fact that we can get a 3D model/view of the Vessel as a flyby is simply “mind-boggling”. I love being able to manipulate the image and move around the space using my mouse or fingers, depending on the device being used. Please follow this link – Vessel at Hudson Yards – to see the Vessel on Google Earth.

In conclusion, Hudson Yards is a great place to visit for photographers. The Vessel is my favorite object and it represents a futuristic reality in our present day.