Bridges - Buro Happold

The High LineNew York, NY, USABridge Capability Statement46The High Line, since its construction in the 1930’s andlast use in 1980, had fallen into disrepair. The initiative todetermine what to do with the elevated railroad line, thatspanned 22 blocks from West 34th Street to GansevoortStreet in the Manhattan’s meatpacking district, began in1999 when its demolition seemed imminent. Happold,working with Field Operations, was selected by theFriends of the High Line and the City of New York tocreate the master plan for the re-use and re-integration ofthe High Line.Inspired by the melancholic, unruly beauty of the line,Happold and Field Operations re-imagined this industrialconveyance into a postindustrial instrument of leisure,city life, and nature. The design strategy evolved bychallenging the traditional rules of ecological andpedestrian engagement, and combining organic andbuilt materials into a blend of changing proportions thataccommodate the wild, cultivated, intimate, and hypersocial.In stark contrast to the speed of Hudson River Park andthe streets below, this parallel linear experience is markedby slowness, distraction and other-worldliness thatpreserves it’s unique character. The design is to remainperpetually “unfinished”, sustaining emergent growth andchange over time forever creating a place of communityengagement, connectivity and inspiration.The success of the High Line has been reinforced withthe redevelopment that has occurred in parallel and isbeing planned along and around the structure. There is1.5m square feet of mixed use development completedor under construction with another 2.5m square feetin planning. It is estimated that the City will realizeapproximately $900m in revenue over the next thirtyyears with around $4 billion in private investment as adirect result of the High Line project.Key project informationClientFriends of the Highline (FHL)Architect Field Operations / DillerScofidio+RenfroProject value $52MDates Phase I: completed in 2009Phase II: completed in 2011Phase III: 2012Services provided by Buro HappoldStructural engineering, MEP engineering, sustainability