Summary of Is This $250 Million Selfie Spot Dangerous?

00:00:00 - 00:30:00

The video discusses a new selfie spot in New York City that has caused controversy due to its high cost and the four deaths that have occurred there. Some people argue that the spot is dangerous and that taller barriers should be put in place to prevent people from climbing to the top and harming themselves. Others argue that the taller barriers would obstruct the view and that the spot should remain open.

• 00:00:00 In this video, Stephen Ross, CEO of the real estate firm The Related Companies, discusses his plan to build a 28-acre mixed-use development in Hudson Yards called Hudson Yards Manhatten, which is designed by some of the world's most renowned architects. In 2015, Ross broke ground on the project, which was temporarily halted after a self-harm incident at the construction site.
• 00:05:00 The video discusses the controversy around the $250 million, self-portrait sculpture by British designer Thomas Heatherwick. The sculpture, which was originally free to visitors, now costs 10 tickets. Two people have died after climbing to the top of the sculpture, and officials have put into place measures to prevent self-harm.
• 00:10:00 The designer of a $250 million selfie spot in California that was recently closed after four deaths by suicide says that if the railings were taller, some of the deaths could have been prevented. Despite this, fear of obstructing the beautiful views from the bridge prevails, and the net still remains unfinished.
• 00:15:00 The video discusses a self-portrait photo spot in New York City that has raised concerns about safety. One argument against putting up taller barriers is that it would negatively alter the design, but the views the experience provide are considered a big draw. Another argument against barriers is that they don't work, but this reasoning was used to argue why the Golden Gate Bridge wouldn't benefit from higher railings. However, the self-portrait photo spot is coded as an aerial walkway viewing platform, and as a freestanding structure it's not subject to the same rules as say the Empire State Building. The responsibility for safety is largely left to the creators, and although they've tried different things, they haven't found a solution that works railings. Experts have made the argument that design can be part of the solution, and that by adding railings, tragedies like the three deaths at the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library at NYU could be prevented.
• 00:20:00 The video discusses a suicide barrier installed at the New York University Atrium in 2003. In 2009, a student died by suicide in the atrium, prompting NYU to install real barriers that were incorporated into the design of the library. The barriers have been effective in deterring death, and the beauty of the barriers has made the experience even better. While the barriers may be effective in deterring suicide, some people may find them "too twee," "unicorns and butterflies," or "an allen g brake's piece" to appreciate. The primary criticism of the atrium from the day it was unveiled was that it was only for certain people, and the Atrium does not serve all New Yorkers equally. The Atrium should be designed to serve all New Yorkers equitably and with dignity, instead of catering to an ultra luxury consumer.
• 00:25:00 The video discusses Heatherwick's new, spinning chairs and the Vertiginous Experience of the VesseL, which has caused some controversy. Some people who have visited the VesseL have found it to be inaccessible, with no railings to protect visitors from falling. One woman claimed that the decisions made at conference tables were similar to the lack of railings, and that patrons don't have a say in decisions made about the VesseL.
• 00:30:00 The video investigates a potential "dangerous" selfie spot in which people are standing on a narrow ledge high up in a mountain. The video's narrator warns that the spot is not safe and that people could fall to their death if they're not careful.