Vessel is a 16-story, 150-foot-high (46 m)[1] structure of connected staircases between the buildings of Hudson Yards, located in the 5-acre (2.0 ha) Hudson Yards Public Square.[6] Designed by Thomas Heatherwick,[7] Vessel has 154 flights, 2,500 steps, and 80 landings that stretch from its 50-foot-wide (15 m) base to its 150-foot-wide (46 m) apex (making it as tall as it is wide at its apex),[7] with the total length of the stairs exceeding 1 mile (1.6 km).[8] The structure also has ramps and an elevator to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.[6] Stephen Ross, the CEO of Hudson Yards' developer Related Companies, said that its unusual shape was intended to make the structure stand out like a "12-month Christmas tree."[6] The copper-clad steps, arranged like a jungle gym[5] and modeled after Indian stepwells,[8][10] can hold 1,000 people at a time.[7] Heatherwick said that he intends visitors to climb and explore the structure as if it were a jungle gym.[11] At the top of the structure, visitors can see the Hudson River.[8]