On Manhattan’s West Side, from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to 20th Street is the first section of the High Line, a stretch of formerly abandoned raised railroad that opened as a park last year. Its beauty is its truth to materials. The railroad theme inspires the simple benches, and landscaping features clumps of the hobo grass that rode the wind to find a home after the trains pulled out 25 years earlier. Eventually, the High Line will extend to 34th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.
At night, you’re walking on the city’s lights. During the day, you’re lord of what you survey. Designers, take a bow: Urban design firm James Corner Field Operations with the architecture firm of
Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
Below, Richard Lacayo takes a tour with Ricardo Scofidio after the opening:
The Whitney would like to open a downtown branch next to the High Line’s southern terminus. (Great idea, but not all board members are on board.) In the meantime, the museum plans to open a series of exhibitions in the park.
I enjoyed seeing this park and applaud the concept and construction of it. However, when the architect, Riccardo Scofidio says that there is nothing else like this in the world, he obviously, has not been to Paris where there is a similar park in the 10eme arrondissement that has been in use for some years.