Paul Ardenne critiques the High Line's new Shed and Vessel as entertainment architecture

Paul Ardenne offers a critical view of the High Line's latest additions: The Shed, a cultural center by Diller Scofidio + Renfro with a retractable roof, and The Vessel, a monumental circular staircase by Thomas Heatherwick. Both opened in April 2019 near Pennsylvania Station at 35th Street. Ardenne argues these structures exemplify the 'Entertainment City' concept, blending art and commerce. He notes that the High Line, once a railway turned green promenade, now features luxury developments by Zaha Hadid and others. The Shed's roof is retractable, mounted on wheels, while The Vessel has 80 platforms, 154 staircases, and 2,500 steps. Ardenne compares this to Montreal's Place Sainte-Catherine and Paris's future Bourse de Commerce by François Pinault. He criticizes the 35 Hudson Yards mall's art program as polished and non-controversial, citing Lara Schnitger's work 'I Was Here' with the phrase 'We're all stupid consumers.' He references Tiana Reid's article in The Nation (May 23, 2019) stating art is inseparable from commerce.