The Vessel, Hudson Yards, New York –  © Brian Rose

Yesterday, a young man, 19 years old, jumped to his death from The Vessel, the iconic sculptural centerpiece of Hudson Yards on the westside of Manhattan. As with any suicide, this is a tragedy for family and friends – even those who witnessed the fall – who are not likely to forget the moment.

But let me cut right to the chase. The Vessel should be torn down. Had this been a publicly vetted structure, something this visually aggressive and potentially dangerous would never have been approved. Hudson Yards – its buildings and open spaces – were privately developed, and there was insufficient community input in the building out of such a large swath of Manhattan. According to Curbed, “Hudson Yards is the largest private real estate development in the United States, spanning 28 acres and accommodating upward of 18 million square feet of office, retail, and residential space.”

I am not saying that this suicide is anyone’s direct fault – we can’t stop every individual under duress from harming themselves – but I am questioning whether due diligence was exercised in the planning and design of The Vessel. I am willing to concede that the intention of the developer and architect was to provide a public amenity at the same time acting as a magnet for shoppers and tourists. Let us hope, however, that it will not also become a magnet for jumpers.

This is not a trivial concern. There is ample research on the problem of suicide hotspots around the world. Famous structures like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Eiffel Tower have been forced to erect barriers or nets to discourage jumpers. Will we now wait and see what happens at Hudson Yards? The Vessel’s railings are low and easily scaled, and the way in which the walkways funnel out as you go up the stairs provides an unhindered fall to the plaza below.

Audrey Wachs, the former associate editor of The Architect’s Newspaper, wrote in 2016: “As one climbs up Vessel, the railings stay just above waist height all the way up to the structure’s top, but when you build high, folks will jump.”

The Vessel serves no function. It is a blight on the cityscape of Manhattan. And, apparently, it may present a temptation to those who wish to end their lives in a very dramatic way. No one in New York wanted this thing. Tear it down.