THE HIGH LINE... How nature shapes the park in the sky

Page 1

The High Line

How nature shapes the park in the sky City and nature

Picture 1. Viewpoint - High Line, 2014. Source: Author’s own photo

2

Picture 2. High Line’s structure,2014. Source: Author’s own photo

School of Architecture Urban Planning Construction Engineering MSc in Urban Planning and Policy Design Academic Year 2019/2020 Contemporary City: Description and Projects Prof. Eliana Rosa de Queiroz Barbosa Tutors: Elena Batunova, Marco Vedoà Student: Andrea Paola Cordero Ortiz July 2020

3

Picture 3. Nature in the High Line,2014. Source: Author’s own photo

TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 Introduction 9 Nature and Landscape Urbanism 11 Renaturing cities 14 The High Line 43 Conclusion 45 References

INTRODUCTION

6

Landscape has become a huge , exotic attraction unto itself, a place of entertainment, fantasy, escape , and refuge (Corner, 2014).

L

andscape has become a huge, exotic attraction unto itself, a place of entertainment, fantasy, escape, and refuge (Corner, 2014). As Corner describes in this phrase, landscape can be many things at the same time, and this is the power of the inclusion of nature within a concept. Although nature has been part of the world since the beginning of the time, nowadays it is a big challenge to include it in contemporary cities. In fact, cities that have included nature within their urban spaces and have used it as the main tool to go back to the essence of cities, are revolutionaries of urban scenarios that think about the well-being of their citizens and their future. For instance, one iconic project that considers nature as an engine of its design is the High Line in New York City. This is a park that reused an elevated railway to offer a new public green space to a city full of buildings. This project adapts itself through the time and changes the previous use potentiating the main features of an infrastructure with a lot of history. Through this intervention, people have a stretch relation with nature and with this, a lot of benefits in their health. For this reason, the presence of nature in this project is essential for its success as one of the most recognized projects in the world.

Picture 4. High Line’s nature within NYC,2014. Source: Author’s own photo

Picture 5. Central Park - NYC, 2018. Source: Author’s own photo

Nature and Landscape Urbanism At the end of the eighteenth century, the relation between city and nature was mainly about in terms of food production (De Biase, Marelli & Zaza, 2018). Over the years, main actors of agro-production in cities used to be the main actors of urbanizing cities due to their importance related to the production of nature (De Biase, Marelli & Zaza, 2018). Moreover, they claimed for recognition of nature as means of survival for the proletarian class within urbanizing cities. In fact, progressively urban nature has been recognized, and taken place within the urban space as a catalyzer to have better cities in which nature has an important role. Nature has a relevant role not only in a way of inspiration and practice for “sanitizing the city” (Kaika, 2005) referring to the production of clean air and well-designed places, but also

for providing “social sanitation” (Kaika, 2005) referring to crime and inappropriate behaviours within urban space. It is important to understand that nature can change spaces and help people feel comfortable with the environment in which they are involved. Moreover, ecological functions are suitable tools into the social and spatial order of the contemporary city. For instance, the Central Park in New York City is a potential ecological place, considered as the heart of the city capable of provoking a feeling of belonging and equity in people. Belonging to the park due to the close relationship to the natural world within the “concrete jungle” (Eldredge & Horenstein, 2014) and equity due to the presence of a nonhierarchical pattern in the design of the park which gives the idea of collective freedom and accessibility.

9

If we talk about cities, the term nature is related to greening the urban spaces. In fact, it is essential to highlight the importance of landscape urbanism as a way to improve spaces through nature. Moreover, landscape as a medium of urbanism has been invoked to absorb and mitigate various impacts related to social, environmental, and economic crises by working with them to enrich spaces. To illustrate, an important project that shows in a revolutionary way the new idea of the landscape

Picture 6. Parc de la Villette - Paris, 2020. Source: Author’s own photo

was Tschumi’s Parc de la Villette in Paris, 1983 – 1990. In fact, this project reversed the traditional role of nature in a controversial way bringing the density, congestion, and richness of the city to the park. As can be demonstrated in this example, the interaction between city and nature is one of the spatial-programmatic expressions able to explain the stretch relationship between nature and society.

Renaturing Cities

Re-naturalization of cities can be considered as an initiative of urban spaces to build new urban policies, strategies, and actions to intervene spaces considering impacts at different levels and encouraging the green transformation of cities. Today, thanks to the demands and pressure of civil society for better and more sustainable cities around the world, nature and urban green spaces are back on the table as a relevant topic to think about in cities where green interventions are part of global political agendas. For instance, there are goals related to climate change and environmental degradation as part of the sustainable development goals proposed by the United Nations to achieve them all by 2030. Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright, the gurus of 20th century modernism, introduced nature as a key factor to restore healthy vitality to modern urban living (Kaika, 2005).

To put it in another way, having environments and spaces that promote healthy lifestyles creates happier and healthy citizens. In particular, according to some researches of Union Nationale des Entreprises du Paysage, living close to a green open space reduces the occurrence of many diseases such as back pain, anxiety problems, depression, asthma, strokes, and migraines. Likewise, green spaces are capable of rejuvenating people. A study carried out by the Union Nationale des Entreprises du Paysage, demonstrates that through an increase of 10% of open green spaces citizens feel five years younger. Moreover, having a direct relation with nature encourages people to do physical activity, which is beneficial for their health. 11

Picture 7. Bosco Verticale - Milan. Source: Stefano Boeri Architetti From: https://archello.com/es/brand/stefano-boeri-architetti

In addition, urban green spaces and re-naturalization strategies are the most economic tools to improve city life and to have positive impacts in different groups of people. For instance, improving city life refers to offering clean air/biodiversity, good infrastructure, and accessible green spaces which improve lifestyles, attract investments, and create more jobs. Likewise, having positive impacts in different groups of people refers to the social cohesion produced as an enriching result of the interaction between the lower-income population and the higherincome population within inclusive public spaces. Neighbourhoods with the largest, best maintained, and/or most accessible green spaces are considered privileged zones to live in. To illustrate, an important project that shows the contribution to the regeneration of the environment and biodiversity is Bosco Verticale in Milan. This project has nature as an important part of its functions and design not only with the purpose of reducing the energy consumption in the building, but also with the intention to have a positive impact on the quality of life for the inhabitants and the city.

13

THE HIGH LINE

Picture 8. The High Line- aerial view. Source: AFAR From: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/57350595241619263/

While the definition of nature and landscape urbanism shows the importance of having nature within urban spaces, renaturalization of cities shows the new way of thinking in which having greening cities is the key to having successful spaces. Especially, these terms respond to questions of risk, resilience, adaptation, and change within urban spaces. For instance, The High Line in New York city is an interesting case in which we can see how the project responds to these relevant questions within cities. 15

Location

Picture 9. The High Line location. Source:The High Line: Foreseen-Unforseen, Corner & Scofidio+Renfro

Originally

trains in Manhattan ran at street level but that turned out to be dangerous for pedestrians and drivers, so the city transferred them to an elevated rail structure about 10 meters above street level. Considered one of the most important works of infrastructure in the history of Manhattan, the elevated railway was built in the 1930s, where this freight railroad moved goods up and down Manhattan’s West Side. The last train ran in 1980 and the abandoned tracks soon became rusted and overgrown (Corner & Scofidio+Renfro, 2015). The infrastructure was deemed obsolete due to the trucking industry’s domination over rail freight and the removal of the Port of New York to nearby New Jersey.

Picture 10. View north from West 17th street, 1934 Source: Photographer unknown From:<https://placesjournal.org/article/above-grade-on-the-high-line/>

For several decades, this rail infrastructure was considered as an abandoned industrial infrastructure that gave a bad aspect to the urban landscape of one of the most vibrant and recognized cities in the world. While some saw this part of the city as a problematic structure that had to be demolished, in 1999 two local residents formed an activist group, Friends of the High Line, with the aim to fight for the preservation of the derelict structure. In 2003, a competition was launched to find a team of designers with a new vision for this special piece of the city. The winning design team, James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, was committed to the preservation of the High Line as a simple, wild, quiet, and slow place to stay.

Picture 11. Bell Laboratories, now Westbeth Artist Housing, corner of Bethune and Washingtong streets, 1934 Source: Photographer unknown From: <https://placesjournal.org/article/above-grade-on-the-high-line/>

Picture 12. Public space - The HIgh Line, 2014. Source: Author’s own photo

The High Line was designed converting each section from an abandoned rail line to a public landscape by keeping the essence of the previous structure. The main guidelines of the design were simplicity and restraint. These principles were meant to complement and amplify the existing conditions of the High Line as the design team found it: a self-seeded landscape that had formed over the course of decades of disuse and neglect. The design of the elevated park includes precast concrete paving plank and a selection of over four hundred plant species (Corner & Scofidio+Renfro, 2015). Moreover, the design was developed with a close involvement of many stakeholders such as Friends of the High Line, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the New York City Department of City Planning, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and the Office of the Mayor. This cross-disciplinary collaborative process not only worked with the entities described before, but also with neighbours and future users of the park which were the key to achieving the design of the High Line that we already know.

Picture 13. Materiality / Urban furniture / Plants, 2014. Source: Author’s own photo

The High Line is a model of urban-renewal sensitivity (Cuozzo,2019).

Picture 14. Society and nature, 2014. Source: Author’s own photo

The High Line is a model of urban-renewal sensitivity (Cuozzo,2019). In fact, the use of nature as the main element for the design process is something that makes it adaptable in time. The application of “Agri-tecture�, as the winning design team calls to the strategy, combines organic and building materials into gradients of changing proportions that accommodate the wild, the cultivated, the intimate, and the hyper-social along the project. Although this is a project that was developed in different stages, the design had the same guidelines for the entire proposal. Providing flexibility and responsiveness to the changing needs, opportunities, and desires of the dynamic context, the proposal was designed to remain perpetually unfinished, sustaining emergent growth and change over time, as the designers affirm. By preserving the industrial presence of the High Line and including nature in the entire design process, the designers wanted to create an innovative public space in which people enjoy different views of the most exquisite landscaping in the city and different experiences along the elevated park.

23

24

The landscape of the High Line was designed to include plants in all seasons, from fragrant flowers in summer to sculptural shrubs in winter.

Picture 15. Vegetation during summer, 2014 Source: Author’s own photo

Picture 16. Vegetation during winter, 2017. Source: Author’s own photo

Plants are left to their natural growth patterns during the whole year. Throughout the year, new forms, colours, smells, and textures emerge.

25

Picture 17. Relation structure - vegetation, 2018. Source: Author’s own photo

A strict system of layering, spacing, and repetition makes it possible to create different environments in each section of the park with different species and different proposes referring to design. The team’s planting expert developed a matrix style for the High Line, in which a mix of dominant grass species supports clusters of plants chosen specifically for colour or form, including perennials, trees, bulbs, and shrubs (Corner & Scofidio+Renfro, 2015). Above all, the landscape design of the project aims to create a dynamic landscape experience.

Picture 18. A jungle within the city,2014. Source: Author’s own photo

27

Picture 19. Elevated promenade, 2014. Source: Author’s own photo

It is important to mention the way in which this project advocates for social cohesion. A prediction of the design team was to attract 3 million people annually, but the park exceeded expectations exponentially, drawing over six million visitors in 2014. (Corner & Scofidio+Renfro, 2015)

With this number of unexpected visitors came several unexpected activities which brought unimaginable dynamics to the place. In fact, people from different backgrounds, cultures, nationalities, or preferences took advantage of the park’s conditions in their own way.

30

Picture 20. Different people in a common space, 2014. Source: Author’s own photo

Picture 21. Green space used according to different needs - Relaxing space, 2014. Source: Author’s own photo

Picture 22. Exhibition space - People selling and buying things (Friends of the High Line’s stand), 2014 Source: Author’s own photo

The park has been used according to people’s needs. For instance, fashionistas have photoshoots here, workers rest, activists make protests, gallerists sell their masterpieces, tourists take walks in this urban promenade, the neighbours jog, children play, groups of people have fitness classes, musicians play their instruments, among others. Picture 23. Tourists walking in the urban promenade, 2014 Source: Author’s own photo

Designed to be opened and flexible, the High Line attracts people through the way in which benches, balconies, viewpoints, green spaces, and spaces without any specific uses were designed.

34

Picture 24. Children playing in the playground area of the elevated park, 2018 Source: Author’s own photo

Picture 25. Relationship between people, urban furniture and nature, 2014. Source: Author’s own photo

35

36

Many newspapers, websites, and people around the world have studied this project or have heard something related to it and got their own ideas related to the park. From having this project as a pioneer that inspires many cities around the world (The New York Times, 2010) to showing the project as one of the places to visit in New York (La NaciĂłn, 2014). However,

it is important people’s perception related to nature. In order to have this information, I interviewed two people, the first is someone who lives in New York City, his name is Edgard Mayorga and the second one is a tourist that went twice to the park, his name is Santiago Paredes.

It is a very beautiful place because I could see different types of plants and nature that I do not used to see. I like the way in

This is a relaxing space to

which designers

visit and live the city.

though about

What people say? The High Line is important for the city because is a place that receive people from different neighbourhoods, cities and even countries because it is a good space to relax, to walk, to stay there‌ it is a very important landmark of the city.

I really like the way in which you can feel within a jungle, other places in which you can see the skyline of the city, and how the the waterfront, and the way in which the project goes landscape will throughout some tall buildings. change because I think this project is really interesting. It Should be more places like the is a representative project talking about the presence of nature, landscape and infrastructure. High Line in order to allow different types of people to get another experience I like the way in which people who designed flowers and trees. the High Line they use nature to decorate it within New York. and to attract other people, like tourists. I like The High Line, It is It is a space to make the city interesting not only in summer breathe. but also in winter. It is interesting the presence of When I went to the High Line , I coloured flowers, water when it is hot, felt very peaceful , relaxed , and and leafy trees that make you feel comfortable . I felt interested in all comfortable and protected from the 37 burning sun. new things that I can see there .

Edgard Mayorga Santiago Paredes

different seasons

Picture 26. People enjoying the public space in different ways, 2014. Source: Author’s own photo

I want to highlight the strong idea of a successful project that people have from the High Line. No matter the backgrounds, age, thinking, occupation or relationship with the city, many people feel the High Line as a place that gives calm and a nearby contact with nature. People think that this is a well-designed project that thought about different scenarios and feelings that it wants to achieve in its visitors through the implementation of nature.

For instance, the changing plants give the idea of adaptation over time, the presence of leafy trees function as a space to be protected and spaces to rest with different types of plants give a feeling of calm and relax within the city.

Picture 27. Leafy trees next to people in the elevated promenade, 2018 Source: Author’s own photo

39

This project is more than a public space, it is a way in which nature emerges from a chaotic city that needs open spaces with the possibility of giving people a place for cohesion. This space combines memory, nature, changing landscapes, unexpected views, romance, spectacle, cultural and leisure activities to satisfy people’s needs within one of the most important cities in the world.

40

Picture 28. General perspective of the elevated park with different activities on its surroundings, 2018. Source: Author’s own photo

Picture 29. Viewpoint / public space - Picturesque nature in the background, 2018. Source: Author’s own photo

CONCLUSION To sum up, including nature in our cities is the best way to improve city life and have positive impacts on people. From having sustainable cities to improve people’s health, a close relation between nature and society gives positive results in our daily lives. The High Line is one of the best examples of implementation of nature as the key element to improve the city. Moreover, the project shows how through nature an abandoned space can go back to the essence of cities by proposing new ways of intervention. This evolving cityscape gives to the city different environments that advocates for social cohesion. Thus, through nature, an important piece of the city had been shaped, an iconic project that created a sense of belonging among residents, tourists, and is also a landmark on the world map that has been an example of intervention around the world.

43

Picture 30. Social cohesion in the most famous viewpoint of the park, 2014. Source: Author’s own photo

REFERENCES •Waldheim, C. (2016). “Landscape as Urbanism: a general theory” Princeton, Oxford: Princeton University Press. (Introduction and conclusion, pp: 02-11 and 177184) •Corner, J. (2014). “Recovering Landscape as a Critical Cultural” Practice. In J. Corner & A. B. Hirsch (Eds.), “The landscape imagination: collected essays of James Corner 1990-2010” (pp. 111-129). New York: Princeton Architectural Press. •De Biase, A., Marelli, C. M., & Zaza, O. (2018). “Urban Nature in the Digital Age: From Collective Urban Gardens to Individual Micro-Landscapes Built Environment” 44(3), 354-373. •Wafer, A., & Pavoni, A. (2019). “Liquidscapes of the City”. Lo Squaderno - Explorations in Space and Society, 52, 61-65. •Wambecq, W. (2019).” A Forest Urbanism Manifesto” (PhD Thesis). KU Leuven, Leuven. •Kaika, M. (2005). City of flows. New York: Taylor and Francis. •Mostafavi, M. (2010). “Why Ecological Urbanism? Why Now? “Harvard Design Magazine, 32(1). •Dehaene, M., & De Cauter, L. (2008a). “Heterotopia in a postcivil society” In M. Dehaene & L. De Cauter (Eds.), Heterotopia and the city: public space in a postcivil society (pp. 3-9). New York: Taylor & Francis •James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio & Renfro (2015). “The high line: Foreseen, Unforseen” (1st, ed.). New York, NY. Phaidon Press Inc. •Morenas L. (2012) “A critique of the High Line: Ladscape Urbanism and the Global South” (pp. 287-296) New Society Publishers. •Diputació Barcelona (2019) “Renaturing cities” (1st, ed). Barcelon, BCN. Estudis Collection •Carmona, M., Heath, T., Oc, T., & Tiesdell, S. (2010), “Public Places Urban Spaces: The Dimensions of Urban Design” - Second Edition, Chapter 6: “The social dimension” (pp. 208-219) Oxford: Elsevier/Architectural Press •Rybczynski W. (2011) “Bringing the High Line Back to Earth” The New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/opinion/15Rybczynski.html •Taboada J. (2020) “La renaturalización de las ciudades es una obligación” TYS magazine. Retrieved from: https://www.tysmagazine.com/la-renaturalizacion-delas-ciudades-es-una-obligacion/ •Brunton J. (2017) “A magical, green walk along Paris’ s Promenade Plantée” The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/jun/07/parispromenade-plantee-free-elevated-park-walkway-bastille-bois-de-vincennes •Lopate P. (2011) “Above Grade: On the High Line,” Places Journal. Retrieved from: https://placesjournal.org/article/above-grade-on-the-high-line/ •Cuozzo S. (2019) “Forget the haters: High Line is the best thing to happen to NYC” New York Post. Retrieved from: https://nypost.com/2019/06/29/forget-the-hatershigh-line-is-the-best-thing-to-happen-to-nyc/ •Miller S. (2017) “How the High Line Changed NYC” The village Voice. Retrieved from: https://www.villagevoice.com/2017/05/03/how-the-high-line-changed-nyc/ •Christoph L. & Brian R. (2017) “Deconstructing the High Line: postindustrial urbanism and the rise of the elevated park”(1st, ed.). New Brunswick, NJ. Rutgers University Press. •Friends of the High Line (2020). The High Line. https://www.thehighline.org/ •TEDx Talks. (2015, April 6). Back to the future… of your city I Alessia De Biase. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhOPqXE_jzk •Eldredge N. & Horenstein S. (2014). “Concrete Jungle: New York City and our last best hope for sustainable future” (1st, ed.). University of California Press. •United Nations (2020). Sustainable development goals. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

45

CONTEMPORARY CITY: DESCRIPTION AND PROJECTS JULY 2020

Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.