HIGH LINE

- NEW YORK

LANDSCAPE ASSIGNMENT
3
R E B E C C A M A R I A M VA R G H E S E
201119019
 High land is considered as one of the most successful urban development project .
It is a 23-city-block-long elevated railway reclaimed as an extraordinary public open space in the heart of Manhattan’s West
Side. It spans three distinct neighborhoods: The Meatpacking District, West Chelsea, and Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton.

It creates a new way of seeing the city, is recognized as an icon for innovative design and sustainability and is an inspiration to
other cities - proof of the dramatic change that landscape architecture can have on the quality of life in cities.
Structural Engineering/ Historic
Preservation
Robert Silman Associates
Joseph Tortorella, Andre Georges
Planting SpecialistPiet Oudolf
Lighting - L'Observatoire
International, Hervé Descottes
Annette Goderbauer, Jeff Beck ,
Jason Neches
Signage - Pentagram Design, Inc
Paula Scher, Drew Freeman
Rion Byrd, Jennifer Rittner
Irrigation- Northern Designs,
Michael Astram
Environmental Engineering / Site
Remediation - GRB Services, Inc.,
Richard Barbour, Steven Panter,
Rose Russo
Civil & Traffic Engineering
Philip Habib & Associates, Philip
Habib, Sandy Pae, Colleen Sheridan
Soil Science
Pine & Swallow Associates, Inc.
John Swallow, Robert Pine, Mike
Agonis
Public Space Management
ETM Associates, Tim Marshall
Water Feature Engineering Section 2 Construction Team
CMS Collaborative, Edison Becker Resident Engineer, HDR + LiRo/Jim
Bonjardim Roy Kaplan, Tanya Larson Eckhoff,
Cost Estimating- VJ Associates Landscape Construction
Vijay Desai, Sushma Tammareddi Management
Chongba Sherpa
SiteWorks- Annette Wilkus, ASLA,
Code Consulting - Code Consultants Martin Leibrock, ASLA
Professional Engineers, John McCormick,
Laurence J. Dallaire, Kevin Morin General Contractor- CAC
Surveying - Control Point Associates, Inc., Community Liaison- Helen Neuhaus
Paul Jurkowski & Associates
Eneser Enerio,
Expediting- KM Associates Construction Management
Joe Ganci Bovis Lend Lease
• By 1980, the railway was abandoned as
interstate trucking had replaced much of the
freight rail system

• In the late 1990s, the High Line was

considered a blight on the neighborhood, the
southern portion was demolished, and the
rest was under threat of demolition.

• In 1999, two New Yorkers founded the

nonprofit Friends of the High Line in order to
save the historic structure and reimagine it as
a public park.

The High Line was repurposed in three phases.

The design is characterized by an intimate

choreography of movement, with alternating
vistas and experiences along the 1.45-mile
length.
Section 1 – From south to north
• The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Overlook - The Overlook provides views eastward over the industrial awnings
and cobblestone streets of the Meatpacking District and westward to the Hudson River.
• At the top of the Gansevoort Stair, the Gansevoort Woodland is made up of dense plantings and a grove of
gray birch and serviceberry trees. The woodland’s raised planting beds creates a greater soil depth than is
found on most of the High Line. Shade-tolerant species, including redbuds, Pennsylvania sedge, and perennial
bluestar thrive in the woodland, and its autumn foliage makes it one of the most picturesque spots on the High
Line in September and October.
• The Washington Grasslands, Tall grasses, green in the early summer and golden in the fall, line the
path,. Groupings of the High Line’s distinctive “peel-up” benches provide clustered seating in this section.
The original railroad tracks crisscross in the planting beds.
• The High Line curves gently as it splits into 2 levels just north of 14th Street. The upper level, known as
the Diller-von Furstenburg Sundeck, is lined with custom wood lounge chairs that roll on wheels along
railroad tracks and receive full afternoon sun, even in the winter. In the warmer months, a thin scrim of
continuously recycled water skims the surface of the western side of the path, buffering noise from the
West Side Highway and allowing visitors to wade barefoot and referencing the Hudson River, which is at
its nearest here. Along the lower level, railroad tracks were reinstalled in plantings.
• At West 15th Street, the High Line enters the Chelsea Market Passage, a semi-enclosed former loading dock .
The building was converted for public use as Chelsea Market in the 1990s. This semi-enclosed passage has an
upper and lower level to provide a city-block-long refuge on hot summer days. On the lower level, the High Line
Porch provides café seating.
• The Northern Spur Preserve evokes the wild landscape that grew on the High Line before it was a park,
featuring crabapples, asters, sedges, catmint, and phlox. Visitors cannot enter the section, but instead view it
from the observation deck above the preserve.

• Tenth Avenue Square. The steel beams of the square’s upper deck were removed to make way for
wooden steps and ramps, creating an amphitheater-like space that allows visitors to inhabit the
structure. The southwest side hosts a grove of three-flowered maples, establishing a shaded seating
area and offering views south across the Hudson River to the Statue of Liberty.
• Inspired by the self-sown landscape that grew on the High Line when the trains stopped running, the
Chelsea Grasslands is planted with wild grasses and wildflowers that add color and texture throughout
the four seasons. This section also gives visitors a unique perspective on the old and new architecture
of the neighborhood. - new buildings designed are juxtaposed with the industrial brick architecture of
the neighborhood’s older factories and warehouses.
Section 2 – from south to north
• Chelsea Thicket,- prairie-like landscape, a dense planting of flowering shrubs and small trees species like
winterberry, gray birch, and large American hollies provide year-round textural and color variation. This is
the deepest soil placement on the High Line without planters – soil depths are up to 36 in, while an
additional under-planting of low grasses, sedges, and shade-tolerant perennials further emphasizes the
transition from grassland to thicket.
• The High Line widens between West 22nd and West 23rd Streets, where an additional pair of rail tracks
once served the loading docks of adjacent warehouses. The extra width in this area was used to create a
gathering space, with Seating Steps made of reclaimed teak anchoring the southern end of a 4,900-sf lawn.
At its northern end, the Lawn rises several feet into the air and creates views of Brooklyn to the east and
the Hudson River and New Jersey to the west.

• Between West 25th and West 26th Streets, adjacent buildings create a microclimate that once supported a
dense grove of tall shrubs and trees. Now, the Philip A. and Lisa Maria Falcone Flyover, a metal walkway
rising 8 ft above the High Line, rises above groundcover plants on the undulating terrain below and leads
visitors upward into a canopy of sassafras and magnolia trees. At various points, tangential overlooks branch
off the walkway, creating an immersive environment with views of the plantings below and the city beyond.

• Hovering above the historic rail on the east side of the High Line at West 26th Street, the Viewing Spur’s
frame is meant to recall the billboards that were once attached to the High Line. Now the frame enhances,
rather than blocks, views of the city. Tall shrubs and trees flank the Viewing Spur’s frame, while a platform
with wooden benches provides a space to view 10th Avenue and Chelsea.

• Between West 26th and West 29th Streets, the Wildflower Field is dominated by hardy, drought-
resistance grasses and wildflowers and features a mix of species that ensures variation in blooms
throughout the growing season. The simplicity of the straight walkway running alongside the wildflowers
interspersed between the original railroad tracks highlights the green axis of the High Line as it moves
through the city.
• At West 29th Street, the High Line begins a long, gentle curve toward the Hudson River, signifying a
transition to the West Side Rail Yards. The High Line’s pathway echoes the curve, and a long bank of
wooden benches sweep westward along the edge of the pathway forming the Radial Bench. Planting beds
behind and in front of the benches line the curve with grasses and perennials.
Section 3 – From east to west
• The Rail Track Walk consists of 3 linear walks located in different areas along the High Line at the Rail
Yards. They expose the High Line’s historic rail tracks, evoking the space’s history as an active freight
rail line. On these walks, visitors can interact with artifacts such as the rail “frog” and rail switches or rest
in one of several alcove pockets of peel-up benches located throughout the pathways. Planting beds
featuring a naturalistic landscape border the pathways.

• As the High Line runs west over 11th Avenue, the main pathway gradually slopes up about 2 ft, creating
an elevated catwalk over the avenue known as the 11th Avenue Bridge with views of the park, the city,
and the Hudson River. Lush display gardens on either side of the catwalk separate the main pathway
from the more intimate linear bench seating running along the railing on either side.

• Just west of 11th Avenue is a unique design feature for children, the Pershing Square
Beams. Here the High Line’s concrete deck is stripped away, revealing the original
framework of steel beams and girders. The structure itself is transformed into a series of
sunken areas – coated in a silicone surface for safety – in which children can run, climb,
and play. The area also includes a series of play elements developed exclusively for the
High Line, such as a rotating beam, periscopes, a gopher hole, and talking and viewing
tubes.

• At the park’s northernmost point is the Interim Walkway, which features a simple path
through the existing self-seeded plantings and 4 gathering spaces.The interim walkway is
designed as a temporary feature of a section that is still to be redeveloped and does not
include lighting. This area of the High Line will undergo complete renovation and
remediation following an additional capital campaign and the completion of Hudson Yards.
 PROJECT - FEATURES
• 1.45 miles of trails were incorporated on top of the former industrial railway, creating
over 23 blocks of walkway unencumbered by vehicular traffic and linking the
neighborhoods of Chelsea, Greenwich Village, and Midtown West. The entire park is
universally accessible, including all park features.

• Ease of accesiility - There are 11 entrances to the elevated park, with 5 elevators and
1 at-grade access point. Access points are adjacent to public transportation stops with
7 bus lines, 5 subway lines, bike-sharing facilities, and bike racks all within a half-mile
radius.
• Over 500 species of plants and cultivars, about 50% of which are North American
native, were chosen for their hardiness, adaptability, diversity, seasonal variation, color,
and texture. Over 30% of native vegetation is endemic to the NYC region planted to
attract pollinator species. The High Line adds 125,640 sf (3.5 acres) of cultivated
gardens to Manhattan.
• 200 species of perennials, 40 different grasses, over 75 different bulb species, and
over 150 species of trees and shrubs are planted on site.
• Each year, the park features multicultural contemporary art, Exhibiting over 200
pieces created by artists from 43 countries since its opening in 2009.

• The majority of hardscape surfaces are open-jointed, acting as pervious pavers that
enhance the retention of stormwater on site by directing runoff towards planting beds,
thereby reducing both irrigation needs and stormwater impact on city sewers.
• Energy-efficient LED lighting makes up 81% of the total lighting on-site. Light
fixtures are positioned below the handrails, and all light is directed below eye level,
illuminating pathways while reducing light pollution.
• Reclaimed wood and recycled steel are incorporated into custom furniture and
decking. There are more than 230 benches and seating areas on the High Line.

.
HOW IS HIGH LINE PROJECT
S U S TA I N A B L E .
• The High Line is essentially a green roof on top of an elevated railroad track.
• There are multiple layers within the “living roof,” including a porous drainage
layer, gravel, filter fabric, subsoil, and topsoil.

• SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS- Materials used in the High Line are selected

based on life-cycle costs.- Reclaimed wood, recycled steel. Special concrete
designed to last long was used to reduce the waste caused by later
replacements.

• SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES- Parts of the High Line use recirculated water.

it is designed to harvest rainwater from the roofs of nearby buildings.
• Energy efficient lighting system.

• SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING- Native, drought-resistant plant species

were tailored to the High Line’s micro-climates.

• COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT - Friends of the High Line will employ youths

aged 16-21 as part of its “Youth Corps” program. Additionally, the High Line
Schools program now offers curriculum guides, which were co-developed
with the New York City Laboratory School for Collaborative Studies, for
grades two through seven. Class visits to the High Line are also part of the
educational program.
• A combined assessment of air and noise pollution on the High - Line, New York City
E.A. King , E.P. Bourdeau , X.Y.K. Zheng , F. Pilla
OVERVIEW OF THE RESEARCH

A combined assessment of noise and particulate matter pollution for its pedestrians. Noise and PM2.5 levels were recorded simultaneously for two cases (i)
pedestrians walking on a footpath alongside road traffic and (ii) pedestrians walking on the elevated High Line. Testing took places over three days in autumn 2014.
Results were analysed to investigate if pedestrians using the High Line would have a lower pollution exposure to those using the footpath below. Results showed
statistically significant differences between the upper and lower levels in exposure to both pollution types. In order to quantify the overall impact, results are
expressed through a combined air–noise pollution index. This index indicates that the average reduction in PM2.5 and noise pollution along the High Line
compared to the footpath below is approximately 37%.

METHODOLOGY
Noise and air quality measurements were taken simultaneously by
two study participants acting as pedestrians walking
simultaneously along the High Line and along a footpath that runs
parallel below.
Two types of noise measurements were recorded: fixed spot
measurements and mobile measurements. Spot Measurements
were ten minutes in duration, with microphones positioned on
tripods at a height of 1.5 m relative to the ground surface and
were taken in general accordance with ISO 1996-2.
Mobile noise measurements were taken with sound level
meters secured to backpacks. noise levels were recorded while
walking from a start point (30th Street) on the High Line and
footpath to a designated end point, (14th Street).EACH OF 20
MIN DUR. For each trip LAeq, LA10 and LA90 values1 were
logged along with the date and time of each measurement.
Each instrument was calibrated prior to use.
Air quality measurements of PM2.5 were conducted using two
TSI SidePak Personal Aerosol AM510 Monitors. - laser
photometer, which records aerosol mass concentration.

35 pairs of noise and 61 pairs of air quality measurements were

taken across three separate days of testing which included
participants walking a combined 60 miles of the urban environment
RESULTS.

Table 4 presents an overall statistical summary of these mobile

measurements. Results indicate that the noise level along High
Line is an average 3.9 dB(A) lower than noise levels Experienced
along the footpath. A p-value of 9.4 X 10-6 provides strong
evidence to suggest the data are statistically significantly different

TABLE 2- reports the average difference between

noise levels recorded at the footpath and the equivalent
position on the High Line. The line of sight between the High
Line and 10th Avenue (the major road below) is also
reported.

Fig. 7 examines in more detail, the time–history of the mobile

noise measurements. It presents the data logged on the High Line
to the data logged on the footpath from one sample trip. Positive
values for the difference between the two levels indicate
consistent increased noise exposure for the pedestrian walking
along the footpath compared to the High Line.

TABLE 3 presents an overall statistical summary of these

measurements. The average LAeq level on the High Line
was 67.3 dB(A) while the average LAeq level along the
footpath was 71.9 dB(A). LA10 levels show a comparable
difference between the High Line and the footpath; 68.1
dB(A) and 74.6 dB(A) respectively
CONSIDERATIONS FOR URBAN PLANNERS

Creating quiet places and enhancing possibilities for quiet

recreation in urban environments can also have a positive
effect on the quality of life in a city (Booi and van den Berg,
2012). The concept of quiet urban areas has been extended to
the development of appropriate urban soundscapes. The
dominant source of noise experienced on the footpath was
road traffic, whereas along the High Line it varied between
parkactivities and the general hum of the city. So, while we can
point to a measured difference of 4.6 dB(A), the actual
improvement in terms of sound quality is likely to be greater.
If urban planners could provide pedestrians with alternative
routes providing greater segregation of pollution sources,
pedestrians could then actively reduce their personal
exposure to particulate matter and noise by choosing to
incorporate such a path in their route selection.

CONCLUSION
Results show that the High Line has had a positive
environmental impact for its users in terms of reduced
pedestrian exposure to both noise and air pollution. In
order to quantify the overall impact, results expressed through
the air–noise pollution reduction index indicate that the
average reduction in pollution along the High Line is
approximately 37% less when compared to the footpath
below.
This supports the previous work of McNabola et al. (2008) and
King et al. (2009) who suggested that greater segregation of
pedestrian and road traffic has the potential to
considerably reduce pedestrian exposure to harmful
pollutants. The High Line has served not only to improve the
aesthetics of the city as a public park but also to promote the
health of its inhabitants.
 REFERENCE
.
• ASLA AWARDS - High Line, Section 2 - New York City

• Landscape performance series - Landscape Architecture foundation.

https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/high-line#/challenge-solution

• A combined assessment of air and noise pollution on the High - Line, New York City
E.A. King , E.P. Bourdeau , X.Y.K. Zheng , F. Pilla

• The high line effect - C T B U H , R e s e a r c h p a p e r .

• High Line: A Field Guide and Handbook - M i c h e l l e S l a t a l l a

• The Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN)- Case Study | The New York High Line

• https://www.slideshare.net/ogustians/case-study-highline

• Arch Daily - The New York High Line officially open- Karen Cilento
THANK YOU
Rebecca Mariam Varghese
201119019