Heatherwick's Vessel set to reopen with "floor-to-ceiling steel mesh"

The Vessel viewpoint by Thomas Heatherwick is expected to reopen in New York this year, shrouded by steel netting to prevent people from jumping from its platforms.

It follows the closure of the structure in Hudson Yards in August 2021, after a 14-year-old boy became the fourth person to die there by suicide.

Related Companies, the developer behind Hudson Yards, has revealed that the Vessel is now due to reopen with more stringent suicide-prevention safety measures in place.

Vessel's highest platform to remain closed

This will include the installation of "floor-to-ceiling steel mesh" across half of the attraction's passable spaces, The New York Times has reported.

In addition, the highest level of the structure will remain permanently closed.

"Through a closely coordinated effort with Thomas Heatherwick and Heatherwick Studio, we have developed a plan to install floor-to-ceiling steel mesh on Vessel while also preserving the unique experience that has drawn millions of visitors from around the globe," a spokesperson for Hudson Yards told television station CBS New York.