High Line Park, 2009, James Corner + Diller Scofidio + Renfro + et al

The 2.33 km Park, was originally part of an elevated rail road track conceived by Robert Moses in 1934. Originally proposed to help reduce road-train accidents after the intersection of Tenth Avenue was dubbed as Death Avenue. The newly proposed Rail directly connected to factories and warehouses by crossing over building blocks instead of over the New York streets. Following the Depression the use of the Highline was lacking and eventually led to its abandonment. In 1999, the formulation of a Highline neighborhood advocate group known as “Friends of the Highline” began as a response against the neighboring property owners’ demolition efforts of the bridge. After their success of stopping the demolition processes Friends of the High Line and the City of New York began selecting a design team to develop the landscape and design for the High-line.

The main bridge design elements were soft and hard landscaping and activity distribution. The landscape was purposed to maintain the rails and to enhance the existing and newly introduced wild vegetation along the bridge. The bridge design division is based on its development over time and activity program distribution through the use nodes. Each node carries a unique experience along the linear path. The bridge offers spaces that provide experiential platforms from social and lively spaces along with a market bazaar, to quiet and isolate reflective spaces with a trees flanking its sides as an urban barrier transforming it into a sort of elevated hybrid neighborhood.

Having personally visited and walked along most the High-Line, I think it was a much need space for New Yorkers. Although the existence of central park contributes to most New Yorks park related activities, the High-Line offers a different experience. It carries layers of history that were maintained with a certain poetic-ness. Although its linearity, along its path there is different vegetation, views and activities divided by nodes that act as attraction points for tourists and frequent visitors. Because of its linearity it allows the user to move across New York without the constancy of the urban noise hustle and bustle, an Urban Escape.

Lara Waked

Originally Posted by Lara Waked on: http://www.daviddiez.com/SDW/?p=1630