THE HIGH LINE, NEW YORK
URBAN DESIGN
SAAD BOUDESS
GROUP: B
HIGH LINE
INTRODUCTION
One of the most imaginative urban renovation projects is the conversion
of the High Line, an abandoned elevated railway construction on Lower
Manhattan's West-side into a public park. The transformation of the
meatpacking district into one of New York's most popular
neighborhoods would not have been possible without the impact of this
one-of-a-kind urban park, the High Line. The story of how it came to be
is remarkable: two young citizens with no prior experience in planning
and development collaborated with their neighbors, as well as
movements in horticulture and landscape architecture, to create a park
that is now recognized around the world as a model for creatively
designed, socially vibrant, and environmentally sound public space.
Annually, about 8 million visitors are counted. The study will shed light
on how the process works. This paper will try to elucidate the process of
the execution of the High Line and the mechanism that has been used to
transform and impact the neighborhood.
The method of Urban catalyst has drawn a lot of attention in the
architecture world, especially in the European and American continent.
HIGH LINE
HISTORY
The 1.45Km High Line Park is an elevated park built on the former
New York Central Railroad, often known as the West Side Line. It runs
from Gansevoort Street to the northern edge of the West elevated park,
passing through the Meatpacking District and Chelsea market area. The
first phase of this park opened in 2009, followed by the second and third
phases in 2011 and 2014, respectively, and the most recent addition to
this park was phase 4 which opened in 2015. In 1847, the City of New
York authorized the use of street level railroad parcels in downtown
Manhattan's Westside to transport freight. It then hires for the sake of
safety. However, due to a high frequency of incidents involving freight
trains, the "Death Avenue" has been dubbed "Death Avenue".
HIGH LINE
DESIGN CONCEPT
After a lot of debate and political opposition, there has been a new
proposal consisted into building a new elevated highline with over 105
street-level railroads crossings. This was crafted by Robert Moses.
Hence, the latter became a sync model of a transportation system built
to accommodate its environment.
The High Line is a vast yet attractive art deco masterpiece of industrial
design. The geometric designs of the guard rails distinguish it. It is an
extraordinary work of engineering and construction, made up of layers
of steel and millions of rivets.
The high line became a haven for homeless people, drug dealers, and
prostitutes until two locals, Robert Hammond and Joshua David,
founded the non-profit organization "Friends with the High Line." His
former piece of municipal infrastructure had been transformed into 37foot-high linear gardens. The effort to save the High Line gathered
traction after that.
HIGH LINE
DESIGN CONCEPT
This urban redesign project was meticulously addressed by the design
group, which was affiliated with the Friends of Highline, New Yorkbased Corner Field Operations landscape architects, down to the micro
level, leading to the design of elements such as ramped elevated
benches that represented the elevated line, walkways and planting beds
revealing exposed train tracks, seeds and grasses evoking the primal
wilderness that took over after the line was abandoned, and more. This
location's landscaping followed the classic design approach of
"scripting a path or a journey" (Trail of the Month, 2011).
Despite the fact that the High Line cost $100,000 million to build, it has
attracted $2 billion in private investment.
HIGH LINE
IMPACTS
Connecting People For A Diverse
City:
Form, movement patterns and activities offer
to success to connect people for a better
neighbourhood experience as these 3 aspects
provide safety from busy street, linkage from
point to point that is easily accessible as well
as gathering people with same interest.
HIGH LINE
IMPACTS
Promote Sustainability For A
Healthy City:
Sustainability achieved from the 3 main
aspects of urban structuring principles: form,
movement patterns and activities. By making
the abandoned trail track into walkable
recreational space to decrease usage of
vehicle, emission of CO2 can be reduced. The
space was contextually designed to provide
high accessibility to promote healthy city
lifestyle.
HIGH LINE
IMPACTS
Decrease Crime Rate For A Safer
City:
Crime rate is effectively reduced due to the
effects of urban structuring principles
directly. Transforming the function of Highline
from negativity into positivity has
successfully induced the usage of the space
as recreational park and attracts local users,
avoiding misuse of the trail track. High
visibility at higher level enhance site safety.
HIGH LINE
CONCLUSION
Opening new companies in West Chelsea and the High Line
to a greater extent. Zoning modifications are pushing
development along both 10th and 11th Avenues, which helps
to preserve the "Art Gallery" identity.
More research is intended to look into specific changes,
such as the street base and avenue vase, to better understand
the gratitude of influence travels parallel or perpendicular to
the High Line, as well as how those elements interact with
pedestrian flows.