Thomas Heatherwick’s recent work at New York City’s Hudson Yards is intriguing, baffling and utterly confusing all at once. It is because the honey-comb shaped, copper-coloured structure resembles in typology to a pavilion, a vantage point, a building and an artwork all at once but is neither one of them completely. So, what really is this maze that comprises of 80 landings and 154 crossing stairwells?
The architect explains, “People often ask us, what is this for? Is it a viewing platform? Where are you looking to? It’s not a building, it’s not a sculpture, it’s not an artwork, and yet it has scale and relevance to all of those typologies… In a way, we’re thinking of this as a piece of furniture. Its ongoing use will evolve, quite naturally.”
“Vessel”, as people have nicknamed it, is narrow at the bottom but 150 ft wide at the top in order to discourage large footprint on the structure. If you want to personally experience this enigmatic piece of architecture then find it between plazas and gardens at the Hudson Yards.
Image Credits: © Michael Moran for Related-Oxford
Heatherwick Studio: Website | Facebook
h/t: Colossal