1.1. HIGH LINE PARK Margarida Konig dos Santos
“Parks in large cities are usually thought of as refuges, as islands of green amid seas of concrete and steel. When you approach the High Line in the Chelsea neighbourhood on the lower west side of Manhattan, what you see first is the kind of thing urban parks were created to get away from—a harsh, heavy, black steel structure supporting an elevated rail line that once brought freight cars right into factories and warehouses and that looks, at least from a distance, more like an abandoned relic than an urban oasis.” (Mike Goldberg, 2011, A miracle above Manhattan)
The High Line in Chelsea, New York, came into existence in the early 30’s and in that time this area of the city was not very appealing. After it was abandoned in the 80’s the structure deteriorated and both the inhabitants and the mayor of the city intended its demolition. Fortunately, a group of people who wished to save and rehabilitate the High Line was formed. They named themselves Friends of the High Line and won in a call for rehabilitation and renovation instead of demolition. There was a public competition on new urban visions for the structure called Designing the High Line and in 2004 a design team of the architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro and the landscape architecture firm James Corner Field Operations was selected. Work on the site began in 2006 and section 3 is still under development. The development has instigated further investment in the neighbourhood. Unfortunately it has also elevated rent value creating some discontentment in inhabitants. Characteristics of the old structure still present:
Total Surface Area: Length: Maximum Width: Minimum Width: Height: Columns: Buildings Travelled Through: Buildings Travelled Over: Building Sidings: City Blocks Crossed: Original Materials: gravel
27,500m2 1600m 27m 9m up to 8,8m above street level ~475 2 13 9 22 steel frame, reinforced concrete deck, ballast, metal handrails.
21
FRINGE REFERENCE
Location
Accessibility The park can only be accessed by pedestrians.
22
FRINGE REFERENCE
Section 1 opened in 2009 Section 2 opened in 2011 Section 3 in development
Scale comparison Stvanice Island - High Line
23
FRINGE REFERENCE
Section City section passing through Chelsea Park showing the scale difference between the High Line and the city.
Diagram 1 While the High Line served as train track, this area of Manhattan was undesirable. The buildings next to the High Line were subjected to noise and vibration from the trains.
Diagram 2 Due to the High Line Park the real state in the area increased in value and the High Line became a very sought after location. 24
FRINGE REFERENCE
Diagram 1 1929 Beginning of the construction of the High Line. 1933 The first train runs on the High Line. 1934-1960 The High Line is fully operational. 1980 Last train rode the High Line’s tracks.
Diagram 2 1980-2006 High Line is abandoned
Diagram 3 2006 Begin of renovation
25
FRINGE REFERENCE
Hand drawn sketch section of the High Line Park showing the atmosphere in the park and under the steel structure.
26
FRINGE REFERENCE
Visual Description Map Wildflower Field Img. 1
23rd Street Lawn Seating Steps Img. 2
and
Chelsea Grasslands Img. 3
Chelsea Market Passage Img. 4
Diller - Von Furstenberg Sundeck & Water Feature Img. 5
Gansevoort Woodland Img. 6
27
FRINGE REFERENCE
Before The abandoned High Line and it’s surroundings. Img. 7
Now Wildflower Field Img. 1
Conclusion The most important aspect of this project is the transformation, of both the infrastructure itself and its context, from a harmful area to a celebrated one. Nowadays, the High Line Park is one of the biggest attractions of Manhattan. The enterprise was such a success it inspired many more cities in redeveloping abandoned railway areas. The High line Park can be considered a thriving re-fringing example. If you wish to visit the park you cannot bike or take your dog, and it is open only from 07:00 am until 10:00 pm. 28
FRINGE REFERENCE
BIBLIOGRAPHY Text
> National Geographic, 2011, Miracle above Manhattan[online] Available at: <http://ngm. nationalgeographic.com/2011/04/ny-high-line/goldberger-text> [Accessed 05 April 2013] > Design Trust, 2002, Reclaiming the High Line [online] Available at: <http://www.designtrust. org/pubs/01_Reclaiming_High_Line.pdf> [Accessed 05 April 2013] > High Line, 2000[online] Available at: <http://www.thehighline.org/galleries/images> [Accessed 05 April 2013] > Friends of the High Line, 2007. High Line Blog [blog] Available at: <http://friendsofthehighline. wordpress.com/> [Accessed 05 April 2013]
Images
<www.googlemaps.com> VISUAL DESCRIPTION MAP - IMAGE 1 Iwan Baan, 2011. Wildflower Field, looking West at 28th Street. [photograph] Available at: <http://europaconcorsi.com/projects/170323-HIGH-LINE-SECTION-TWO/images/2634270> [Accessed 11 April 2013] VISUAL DESCRIPTION MAP - IMAGE 2 Iwan Baan, 2011. 23rd Street Lawn. [photograph] Available at: <http://europaconcorsi.com/ projects/170323-HIGH-LINE-SECTION-TWO/images/2634205> [Accessed 11 April 2013] VISUAL DESCRIPTION MAP - IMAGE 3 Iwan Baan, 2009. Chelsea Grasslands. [photograph] Available at: <http://meredithgunderson. com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/baan-chelsea-grasslands.jpg> [Accessed 11 April 2013] VISUAL DESCRIPTION MAP - IMAGE 4 Chelsea Market Passage. [online] Available at: <http://www.nationalgeographic.nl/magazine/ fotogalerij/hangende-tuin-in-manhattan/chelsea-market-passage> [Accessed 11 April 2013] VISUAL DESCRIPTION MAP - IMAGE 5 Iwan Baan, 2009. Diller von Furstenberg Sundeck and Waterfeature. [online] Available at: <http://www.landscapeinstitute.org/news/index.php/news_articles/view/high_ambition/> [Accessed 11 April 2013] VISUAL DESCRIPTION MAP - IMAGE 6 Barry Munger. Gansevoort Woodlands. [online] Available at: <http://www.thehighline.org/ newsletters/122809_year_in_pictures.html> [Accessed 11 April 2013]
29
FRINGE REFERENCE