Take a Walk on the High Line

The High Line in NYC is probably the most interesting and talked about urban regeneration project in recent years. I think it really deserves a special attention and as I visited New York last year it was on top of my list. I took some pictures (apologise for the bad quality) and will use them to explain my views.

Initiators of the project are Robert Hammond and Joshua David, who founded the Friends of the High Line. They are currently invited to several urban seminars and conferences by public bodies eager to learn from their experience. This project is a flagship urban regeneration project especially for the participative and bottom-up approach. In fact the initiators do not belong to the institutionally responsible actors of town planning. They are not developers, professionals, public officers or politicians. At least not in the strict sense of these terms. They belong to what is called civil society. They were able to take the initiative and involve public authorities, planners and the private sector in making this dream a reality. A beautiful, sensible and very concrete reality. So that now every town around the world would like to have his own High Line. Hopefully that will not generate another “Bilbao effect”.

The neighbourhood of the High Line (between the 30th and 14 Street along the 10th Avenue) is everything but spectacular, in comparison to other parts of NYC. This is the first reason that makes the project so interesting. This is not just another park, that was needed and it is changing the character of the whole neighbourhood around it!

Last year in September, as we were there, works were still ongoing, I guess they still are today and I wish they will last for a long time. That makes the laboratory feeling of the High Line even stronger. You can see this public space in the making, you can see the different layers, the old bones and muscles of the aged infrastructure turning into a great public space.

Change is made by design and by people using the space. Although the weather was not particularly fine, the walkway was crowded. And although it was crowded there were no congestion problems. On the contrary, along the path you can easily find small quiet spaces aside from the stream of visitors.

Don’t know whether this is a famous artist or not, but the picture below suits to the High Line. It tells about the willpower and assertiveness that was necessary to achieve this result.

Another strong point of the project is the integration of plants and flowers in a beautiful mix. Far away from a picturesque old fashion manner it reflects the idea of nature not just as a means of leisure and delight for mankind, but as a real stakeholder. Possibly able to regain the urban ground if mankind fails to keep control.

Architectural landscape is made of broken elements, remains of failed attempts to establish a logic in the urban fabric. Together with the ubiquitous NYC Grid the High Line is the strongest landmark in the neighbourhood. Today finally conscious to be more than a derelict freight railway.

The landscape changes quickly along the 1,6 Km park, maintaining the NYC collage character, but also leaving space for a faraway sight which is not so common in Manhattan.

Like every successful public space the High Line is an excellent shop-window for people to show and promote their own activities, attracting young entrepreneurs, especially from the creative sectors.

Another great thing about the High Line is the re-establishment of a fair relationship between people and cars. NYC is doing well in promoting public transport and cycling since years anyway, but this is another full strike.

Walking on top of cars, listening to music or reading a book, not having to look at traffic lights, left or right. That is pleasant and brings visitors back to an immediate relaxed and natural relationship with the built environment.

NYC is the home of differences, so that what elsewhere would be incoherent, here it is at the right place: tropical vegetation between a concrete facade and stainless steel handrails,

 a kitsch car design shop next to a minimal terrace bar adjoining an abandoned building with walled-up windows.

Somebody used the street as a canvas to draw alternative mobility patterns. Or are they the signs of  some underground infrastructural channels?

Also some unnecessary work of arts belong to the urban landscape. And people, people and again people, everywhere, enjoying public space.

Back on the ground, life goes on as usual, but if you look up to the High Line, you think that this place will certainly get better.

Here is Robert Hammond telling the true story of the High Line at the Harvard Graduate School of Design

Here a review from Time Magazine

Related articles

• NYC X Dannivee (dannivee.wordpress.com)
• The High Line of New York City (creatricemondial.com)
• Placemaking: New York’s New High Line Park (sustainablecitiescollective.com)
• Traveling Around NYC by bus (local.answers.com)
• The High Line (heyitsameg.wordpress.com)
• The Highline: the happiest mile in NYC (travelover40.wordpress.com)
• Night Falls on the High Line (core77.com)
• The Low Road: Queens Clamors for Its Own High Line (observer.com)

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• Night Falls on the High Line (core77.com)
• The Low Road: Queens Clamors for Its Own High Line (observer.com)