- Full disclosure, this video was made to
explore architecture, one building in particular and
its connection to self-harm. We did our level best to
approach this with sensitivity. We focus on positive design
solutions, and prevention, and took expert advice on
how to have the discussion. Even with all that, if this kind of video is not
a good idea for you right now, skip it. Sit it out. Just say no. ♪ No ♪ ♪ Just say no ♪ ♪ Just say no ♪ Resources are below. Let's get started. - [News Reporter] It's
been years in the making, a modern marvel. - [News Reporter] The Vessel. Everybody's excited about the Vessel. - We're here to make a statement. And I think this will
the icon for New York for the 21st century. - Our idea was just to
take the people, all of us, and just lift us up and make something that you would never have
experienced anywhere else in the world. - [News Reporter] But a
dark cloud has settled over the giant artwork. - [News Reporter] This weekend, however, it was the site of tragedy. - [News Reporter] The Vessel, the centerpiece at Hudson Yards
is now temporarily closed. - [News Reporter] We thought
we did everything we would to prevent this. It's really hard to fathom
how something could happen like this, and I want
to see every possibility that we can do. (mournful music) - This is Stephen Ross. Let's call him The Builder. He's a billionaire, and the
CEO of the real estate firm, The Related Companies, which is not a name I would've chosen, but I'm not even a millionaire. What do I know about naming powerful
real estate corporations? Nothing. In 2015, Ross broke ground on a new vision for New York City. By 2024, there would be
a 28 acre neighborhood of mixed use space. mixed use meaning it has it all. Residences, retail, offices,
restaurants, parking. It was to be called Hudson Yards. Most of us understand that in Manhattan, large swaths of empty land
begging for development just don't exist. So how do you create
space where there is none? Basically, and I had a hard time
wrapping my brain around this, Hudson Yards would be situated
above active train lines, built over a storage yard for
Long Island railroad trains on Manhattan's far west side. It's a grouping of massive platforms that can support buildings
and public spaces, intermixed with skyscrapers
and support trusses that extend past the platform, down to the ground below,
carefully dodging tunnels, utilities, and tracks. Stephen Ross, along
with another billionaire and former of New York
City, Michael Bloomberg, yes, that Michael Bloomberg, had conceived what would be the largest
mixed use private development in US history, with a total
price tag of over $25 billion. Now, before you think this place is just going to be bougie as hell, filled with designer shops
and wealth, you're correct. With that kind of wealth comes a desire for art and architecture. Phase two, or the Western
Yard of Hudson Yards, will include buildings designed
by such architecture icons as Saniaga Calatrava, the
firm Herzog and De Meuron, and Frank Gehry. When asked lightheartedly
by the New York Times if he was trying to make
a museum of architecture, Ross responded very sincerely by saying, "We are creating a museum of architecture and a whole new way of life. This is New York as it should be, with everything you want at your doorstep. The Times reporter did
wonder who Ross meant by you. Now, before you think
you have to be wealthy to even live in Hudson
Yards, you're correct. The Times also called Hudson
Yards Manhattan's biggest, newest, slickest, gated community. Renting a one bedroom apartment starts at approximately $5,000 a month. One bedroom, $5,000. Buying a condo starts at over 3 million, and the penthouse is available
to buy for 30 million plus. In a city that's already
shockingly expensive to most people, Hudson
Yards is regularly described as a billionaire's playground. And the centerpiece to this playground, the jungle gym as imagined
by Tesla, if you will, is a structure called the Vessel. What is this thing? It's been called a
beehive, a gaudy bauble, a massive doner kebab. A friend of mine who's lived
in the city for over 15 years agrees with the observation
that it looks like a bedbug, and finds that pretty
representative of the city. Massive doner kebab is probably not what
Stephen Ross had in mind when he contracted Thomas Heaterwick. let's call him the designer. Heatherwick founded a
London based design studio known for such things
as those spinny chairs that are everywhere now
and cost almost $1,000. Heatherwick was commissioned to create what Ross believed would one
day be New York City's version of the Eiffel Tower. Like everything else at Hudson Yards, the Vessel had a pretty
substantial price tag, about 250 million, covered
entirely by Ross himself. The design, a series of
stairs ascending up 16 levels, was inspired by ancient Indian
stepwells, like Chand Baori, that would bring water to dry regions. It's meant to be tactile
and interactive construction that blurs the lines between
art, public sculpture, and architecture. Stuart Wood was the chief architect. He served as group leader at the Vessel, man on the ground for Heatherwick Studio. Wood said that in building the Vessel, their intention was to make
a heart to Hudson Yards. Obviously, billionaire real
estate guys like Stephen Ross are an easy target. He owns the Miami Dolphins,
for heaven's sake. If you prick a billionaire,
does he not bleed? But to their credit, it seems the Vessel, even if its description
was a tad bit pompous to us little guys, was
full of good intentions from the wealthy men who built it. Tickets were free. Art for everyone. "I wanted to commission
something transformational, monumental!" Ross told the press. He said, "In December, everyone who comes to Manhattan wants to visit the Christmas
tree in Rockefeller Center. This will be the equivalent
of the Christmas tree 12 months a year." Ross was kind of like a kid at Christmas when he first laid eyes
on Heatherwick's plans for the Vessel. "This is excitement," were
Ross's first thoughts. Even when others thought
Ross was quote, "Nuts," he fought for the Vessel, claiming, "No one has ever
given a gift like this." The Vessel, along with Hudson Yards, was officially open to the
public on March 15th, 2019. It was a star-studded ceremony that took place at the foot of the Vessel, with speakers like Anderson
Cooper, Senator Chuck Schumer, and Big Bird. The Vessel's opening was
heralded as a triumph of human ingenuity and guts. Big Bird turned to
Anderson Cooper and said, "How big's the bird that
lives in that nest?" Then he said, - Welcome to the neighborhood. - How much did they pay you, Big Bird? The bird can be bought. - I'm trying to earn a
little extra money, you know. - A gospel choir sang from the Vessel. Alvin Ailey Dance Theater performed. People were allowed to
venture into the Vessel. Heatherwick waved from its heights. Overall, the whole opening
event screamed achievement, new beginnings, life. There was some criticism. Ine reporter, Amy Plitt
from Curbed commented that being inside the
Vessel was a bit unnerving and definitely a little dystopian, with endless flights to climb
for seemingly no reason. Despite her criticisms that
the Vessel was inaccessible and little more than a shiny novelty, she admitted that climbing
all the way to the top did leave her feeling odd. And even if the Vessel feels
empty, it is impressive. The vision in for the Vessel was complete. Tourists and residents came flooding in, but this is not a channel
where we celebrate the latest in billionaires and blue chip art. On February 1st, 2020, a
young man lept to his death from the Vessel. From the moment the design
of the Vessel was unveiled in 2016, critics had raised concerns about the Vessel becoming
a location for self harm. But who could say was certainty
whether this initial death was just a tragic fluke? After all, Manhattan is
almost all tall buildings. But then, two more people
died at the Vessel. One in December of 2020, and another just a month
later in January, 2021. After the third death, the
Vessel was closed temporarily to figure this out. Measures were put into place that would hopefully thwart
attempts at self harm. Access to the Vessel,
which was previously free, now carried a $10 ticket charge, visitors could not go in alone, suicide prevention signage was posted, and security personnel were employed in hopes of identifying and aiding anyone in a state of mental distress. Five months later, in May of 2021, the Vessel was opened again with the hope that all these
measures would make it harder for someone to choose the
Vessel to end their life. Just two months later, in July of 2021, a 14 year old boy who was visiting Vessel
with his family died. The Vessel has been closed
to the public ever since. What went so wrong? The ticket prices, the buddy system, the suicide hotline signs,
the security personnel. The management holds these
up as all good things, solid attempts to prevent harm, but something is missing from that list. If only there were some sort of barrier between a person and open air,
like just spitballing here, a railing. Railings, or the lack of them, will form the main question of this video. Are architects and designers responsible for a person's actions? What is their ethical duty
through design choices to prevent such things from happening? This was designer Thomas
Heatherwick to CBS, right as the Vessel opened to the public. - I suppose we can't predict
how people are gonna use it. It just is. And then what happens now
is nothing to do with me. - What happens now is
nothing to do with me. It's chilling, in retrospect. To reinforce the context here, Heatherwick made that comment before the four deaths by suicide. I'm not trying to paint
him as a super villain. I include it only to
give you a general sense of how he viewed his role as the designer. Now, the Vessel does have
railings on all its levels, railings that are
approximately waist height, but they're waist height no
matter which floor you're on. One reporter remarked how scary it was to be at the top of the Vessel and only have that low railing
between you and a huge drop. So then why haven't better
barriers been installed, or even considered? Most of you will be
familiar with the issues that the Golden Gate
Bridge in San Francisco has with deaths by suicide. On average, 30 people die here each year, and at least 1800 have died overall. Charlotta Thodelius is an expert on the importance of location
in suicidal situations, and has established
herself as a consultant on harm reduction in civil
engineering and architecture. Thodelius says that major contributors to making a structure potentially
high risk are easy access and low visibility. The Golden Gate Bridge is an example of exactly these principles. Plainly put, it's easy
to get on the bridge, and not everyone who jumps
is found or even noticed. What's more grim is that
suicides have been occurring at the Golden Gate Bridge
since it opened in 1937. It was originally planned for
the railings to be taller. The potentially apocryphal story here is that the chief
engineer, Joseph Strauss, was under 5'5" tall, but still wanted to be
able to peer over the top of the railings. If the railings had been taller, perhaps some of the deaths
could have been prevented. I wrote in my book,
Smoke Gets in your Eyes, about my time as a crematory
operator in the East Bay. There was a week when
I cremated two deaths from the Golden Gate Bridge, a 21 year old man and a 45 year old man. When I think of those men now, it haunts me that of the
small group who have jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge and survived, every single one of them
regrets their decision the moment their hands leave the rail. survivor Kevin Heinz called
it, "Instant regret." He survived the 220 foot
fall, breaking his ankle and two vertebrae. A sea lion helped him stay
afloat until help came. That's not like a vision of his. People literally saw it. In fact, to the point of instant regret, a review of 90 different studies found that 9 out of 10 people
who survive suicide do not go on to die by suicide later. Despite the almost 2000
people who have died at the Golden Gate, and those who have survived to speak out about suicide prevention, fear of obstructing the beautiful views from the bridge prevails. When I lived in San Francisco,
almost 14 years ago, there was furious talk about a suicide prevention
net being constructed at the bridge. It was of such obvious
importance for prevention that I admit, I thought
it had already happened. But due to delays, it's still in progress, with an estimated completion date of 2023. These are the same conversations happening around the Vessel. Higher railings have always
been part of the discussion. One argument against
putting up taller barriers is that it would negatively
alter the design. But the views, the experience. Stuart Wood, remember
he's the chief architect with Heatherwick Studio, stated, "We didn't want to design in fear." Hence the lack of precautions
built into the Vessel. Beyond the views, there's the second argument
that barriers just don't work. If the barriers were higher, not only would it ruin
the visual experience, those intent on self harm
would just go somewhere else. This same reasoning was used to argue why the Golden Gate
Bridge wouldn't benefit from higher railings. This argument is incorrect. Why do barriers work? The vice president of research for the American Foundation
for Suicide Prevention explains that if a person "gets to the
bridge and there is a barrier, they're not going to shift gears. It's as simple as that." Barriers can make people rethink things, giving them time to move
past the moment of crisis. A study published in the
British Journal of Psychiatry showed that barriers erected
on a suspension bridge in Bristol, a known
location for self harm, cut the number of incidents in half. Some people, especially younger ones who are living through a
period, might act impulsively when confronted with an
opportunity to end their life. But if a barrier gets in their way, more often than not, they won't. This impulsivity can especially
be seen in young people, ages 15 to 24. The ages of the people who
jumped from the Vessel? 14, 19, 21, and 24. With all this evidence,
you might be asking, "Doesn't something this tall and built as a public
tourist attraction have to have higher railings?" I thought the same thing, but it turns out the Vessel is coded as an aerial walkway viewing platform. As reported by Curbed, The Vessel is similar to
amusement park rides, stadiums, and bleachers. So as a free standing
structure, it's art, remember, it's not subject to
the same rules as, say, the Empire State Building. The responsibility is largely
left to the Vessel's creators. Creators who don't seem
to into the old railings and barriers idea. Lowell D. Kern, chairman
of the Community Board that includes Hudson Yards,
told the New York Times that railings were the
one thing proven effective against suicide that they,
Ross, Heatherwick and company, won't do. Said Kern, "The only
surefire way to prevent this from happening is to raise
the height of the barriers." More damning, one of head Heatherwick's
own frustrated employees stated anonymously, "We
designed safety barriers for the Vessel a while back. It's now time to install." So much has been written about Heatherwick's
uncompromising artistic vision for the Vessel that when I visited, I was surprised to find
the whole thing covered in Christmas lights, which
I like Christmas lights, but doesn't really scream, "This is art that any addition of barriers
or nets would destroy." But while the Vessel bros
haven't explicitly stated, at least publicly, that
they won't put up barriers because of aesthetic reasons, they also seemed to be
dancing around the obvious. Thomas Heatherwick said
that improving safety still, "Required further rigorous tests." And Ross's people said that they were exhaustively
looking for ways to make the Vessel safer. We are just exhausted. I can't imagine what would work. Railings? We've tried so many things already. Railings. There must be something
we haven't considered. A railing. Just racking our brains. Put the railings in. If only there was a way. Just put in the railing. Design and harm prevention
don't have to be in conflict. Experts have made the argument that design can be part of the solution. Completed in 1973, the
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library at NYU was called "one of New York's most spectacular
architectural experiences" by architectural critic Paul Goldberger. But the library has also
been marked by tragedy with the airy 12 story atrium as the scene of three deaths by suicide. In 2003, two students died
by suicide in the atrium, causing NYU to put up
some Plexiglas barricades on the stairways and crosswalks. These barriers were ineffectively
designed, and in 2009, another student died. What NYU did next could be a solution for those exhaustively
trying to figure out how to make the Vessel safer. They erected real barriers
that were incorporated into the design of the library. In short, they created beautiful barriers. Exactly the type of
barriers many have said should have been part of
the Vessel from the get go. The firm Joel Sanders Architect was tapped to conceive of barriers that
would work with the design of the Bobst Atrium, not against it. Giant gold, perforated,
aluminum sheets were placed around the perimeter of the
atrium and around its balconies. The result is the look of quote, "A digital waterfall," or,
"A beautiful piece of lace that's been stretched taut
against the balcony slabs." Not only is the Plexiglas
and aluminum practical and effective at stopping people, but it's artful and integrated
into the atrium's design. It makes the experience even better. That may say a little twee, a little unicorns and butterflies to some, but the beauty of a place,
the overall positive vibe, is actually a major
element of deterring death. The library checks off many of the requirements harm
reduction expert Thodelius recommends for public spaces. First, obviously, the barriers. Barriers that are too
tall to climb on a whim. Secondly, and maybe less obviously, an environment that remains
functional and pleasant. In an interview with Thodelius, it was noted that, "Attractive places
with many visitors rarely become hotspots." Ideally, this kind of prevention
should be incorporated in the inception of a project, not addressed as an afterthought. Thodelius told the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, "A bad example would be a bridge with unattractive suicide nets set up. This can easily stigmatize a place and make the general public avoid it. A better example is a bridge with a fence covered
in plants and flowers. This doesn't affect a
place in the same way. Instead of being perceived as
a suicide prevention measure, it can rather be seen as something to simply make the place nicer." This really got me thinking
about the mood of a place and the role design plays. I recently read a Frank
Lloyd Wright biography and visited the Guggenheim Museum, which he designed. The museum has a tall atrium, but there's never been a
death by suicide there. It's possible that's because it's a place that's full of beauty. The gently sloping walkways
leading you on a journey to the world's artistic masterpieces. You can't scale its heights
without encountering the astonishing creative
accomplishments by your fellow man. So what's going on here? Is the Guggenheim life affirming
in a way the Vessel is not? The Guggenheim has
functionality and purpose. What is the Vessel's
purpose other than being art for expensive art's sake? The Architect's Newspaper called it, "A Giled Age geegaw foisted on the city by a 'benevolent' rich guy." And how lucky us huddled
masses are to experience it. Thomas Heatherwick and
Stephen Ross insisted, again and again, that the
Vessel and Hudson Yards were created for all people,
for everyone to enjoy, "A monument to us," said Heatherwick. But putting aside the criticism for the lack of railings and barriers, a primary critique of the
Vessel and Hudson Yards from the day it was unveiled was that it was only for certain people. In Allen G. Breaks piece
titled Hudson Yards is a billionaire's fantasy
of the future of city life, Break points out that
New York needs spaces that will serve its citizens
with equity and dignity, not more antiquated spaces
that are for them, not us. Break writes about the collaboration between Ross and Michael Bloomberg. The two men believed, and
apparently still believe, that catering to an ultra-luxury consumer
magically benefits everyone. Bloomberg famously said in 2013, "If we could get every
billionaire around the world to move here, it would be a godsend." It's easy enough to say
a space is for everyone when everyone around you is just like you. Most obviously, the Vessel is
an accessibility nightmare. It's all stairs. Any person who lives with
mobility issues, or I don't know, uses a stroller can take an
elevator to the top levels, but it's not really the
experience Heatherwick designed. Heatherwick has described
experiencing the Vessel as properly using your physicality. And the Architect's Newspaper
nailed it when they stated that Heatherwick,
"Defines a citizen-subject as one who can walk," a lot. When discussing this video with a friend, he said of Heatherwick's spinning chairs and the vertiginous
experience of the Vessel, "Heatherwick lowkey wants to give disenchanted bourgeois
cosmopolitans an experience of feeling off balance, like
they're at the edge of death." And what does the feeling
of being near death create? A thrill, followed by a desire
to buy more expensive things, which Hudson Yards certain has, to further beautify their lives. They're beautiful, thriving lives. Listen, it would be
profoundly hypocritical of me to come out resoundingly
against bourgeois pursuits. I bought matches the other
day that were like $12 and smell like mimosa as they burn. I drink a $6 latte every day of my life. It is my greatest pleasure. People of all income levels
desire our little treats, but is it wrong to seek and demand what can best be called
an ethical bouginess? It's possible that the Vessel
design team didn't take into account the people
who would find themselves at the Vessel, and when
confronted by the exclusivity of it all, feel profoundly
left out of the conversation as a person and citizen of the city. And without any thoughtful
design or protection in place, the worst happened. I don't think Thomas Heatherwick
and his team are villains, and I do believe that many involved with the creation of the
Vessel and Hudson Yards are in fact deeply troubled
by what has happened. I also don't believe in censoring
art or an artist's vision. Some critics of the Vessel
think it should be torn down or sunk into the river
to make a manmade reef, which I'm gonna say I don't agree with. But to give credit to that
opinion, in this case, the art has proven to be dangerous. In a mental sense, experiential
sense, design sense, and physical sense. Good intentions don't fully inoculate you from that criticism. The right response, and
this is simply my opinion, I'd love for this discussion
to be continued here, is to humbly learn from what has happened. Remember the dead and learn how to create
better for the living. Don't double the down on
absolutely no railings. You don't understand my vision, mom. And the team throwing up their hands like we don't know what to do. More tests are needed. How to fix so hard. If you do that, you're
effectively saying we care more about the beautiful
views and elegant lines of our pleasure bauble
than we do human lives. It sounds absurd because it is. (mournful piano music) Several months ago, when we
first visited the Vessel, there was heavy security at the base, making very sure no one came near it. By contrast, the security
at our most recent visit was so kind and welcoming. They'll let you into the base, but say that the stairs are
closed due to modifications. Now, these aren't the official
spokespeople for the Vessel, and yes, we contacted them, and no, they won't tell us anything. But when you ask more questions
of the people working there, you're told everything
from they won't tell us to one man saying
confidently nets were going to be installed, and soon. One woman told me these were the types of decisions made at conference tables. That is, places where people
like her don't have a say. (gentle electronic music) Before I go, I wanted to thank
all of our patrons directly. Videos like this topic don't particularly feel right monetizing, and even if we did, there's no chance YouTube would go for it. And they may very well
still ban this video. If you've ever wondered if your $2, $10 Paton
pledge matters, it does. You are allowing us to
create these videos. (calm music)
Thomas Heatherwick is so morally incapable that he has repeatedly implied that a pretty view from his useless staircase is worth more than actual human lives and so artistically incapable that he cannot begin to imagine beautiful, integrated railings on his shitty, useless staircase
Huh…weird, I just started watching her.
Either the algorithm has me pegged, or I am the leftist whisperer and only find lefty tubers. (probably the former, cus capitalism. Even leftist politics is marketable. All hail the ad break)
I remember going on top of this thing and thinking "I could jump off of this", not in a depressing way but just observing how low the railing was and no one to guard the top of the structure.
Both Google and Wiki disagree with Caitlin on who the Architect is. Google and Wiki both say it's Thomas Heatherwick not Stewart Wood. Stewart Wood was just the Group Leader assigned to the project.
This is a weird thing to get wrong when Wikipedia has it listed so plainly and it didn't take a lot of fact checking to find it.
Honestly don't know why a mortician is talking about this as it has nothing to do with their profession.
"Design and construction Architect Thomas Heatherwick Architecture firm Heatherwick Studio"
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vessel_(structure)
"... says Stuart Wood, group leader at Heatherwick Studio."
Https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/vessel-hudson-yards-opens-public/
"Architect: Heatherwick Studio. Group leaderr: Stuart Wood; project leader: Laurence Dudeney;"
https://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/vessel_o
https://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/vessel_o