Observing the High Line
I chose to study the section of the High Line that I am working with for my studio project. The section is at 14th Street and spans about 240 feet long and 50 feet wide. This site was appealing to me because I am already doing a lot of observational research there and know the space well. The space is very well used by the public which I thought would be interesting to observe for the basis of this project. The site contains stairs, plants, benches, railings and movable wooden lounge chairs. I thought this was a very unique design choice and it reminded me of our readings from class.
I chose the readings “Simultaneous Perception” by Tony Hiss, “Locating Public Space” by Zachary P. Neal and the documentary film “Urbanized” directed by Gary Hustwit. I found “Simultaneous Perception” very visceral as Tony Hiss explained the feeling and topic very visually. I was able to connect to his idea through his explanation of walking through Grand Central Station. When I visit the High Line, I often have very similar experiences even though it is outdoors. I can connect to how at times he feels like he is walking in a tunnel and can’t seem to look anywhere other than directly in front of him. There are more compressed points on the High Line where the space is only as wide as two people. Yet there are also moments where the area is open, and you feel relaxed and relieved of the pressure and claustrophobia. The space at 14th Street is open both horizontally and vertically. To the West, you can see the Hudson River and the sky without any buildings blocking the view. I found Hiss’ writing to be very purposeful as I came to understand the topic and was able to compare it to my experiences with openness at the High Line. I chose “Locating Public Space” by Zachary P. Neal because I found it was very helpful in bringing me back to the basics in understanding how we define public spaces. I realized that there is no one simple definition of public spaces; however, there are guidelines to help you decipher spaces and how public they are. I thought this reading would be interesting to keep in mind while visiting the High Line because before visiting I thought it was a quintessential public forum and I wanted to consider the guidelines while I was there. I also wanted to compare public spaces of the past to the High Line today and see how it was similar and different. I chose the documentary film “Urbanized,” directed by Gary Hustwit because it considered public spaces and their designs from around the world. The film featured designs that may not have always been well received but challenged the norm and often transformed the way people considered designing public spaces. Some of the spaces shown in the film were beautiful but not functional, emphasizing how important the functional use should
be in public space design. The film spoke about the High Line in particular and informed me of the space before the redesign and how it came to be the space it is today. I wanted to keep this film in mind while visiting my site to experience the High Line with the new lens of knowledge of how the High Line and public spaces in general are designed.
I visited my chosen site on Thursday February 21, 2019 in the late afternoon from 4:00 until 4:30 and on Sunday February 24, 2019 in the morning from 10:30 until 11:00. While I was walking along the High Line at my point of research, I had a heightened awareness of my surroundings which reminded me of “Simultaneous Perception.” While walking past the portion that is open on the east to 14th street, it felt so open and airy. The wind was blowing on my face and I felt like I was able to experience and take in everything that was happening around me. I felt like I was in a movie looking at a wide-angle view or a bird’s eye shot. I felt relaxed, spacious and like I could breathe. There are also areas on the High Line that are small and narrow which prompt anxiety and claustrophobia. However, these areas emphasize the open ones and make the public heighten their awareness of the spaces they are travelling through. These smaller areas reminded me of the tunnel feeling the author talked about in Grand Central Station. The High Line is a public space as everyone in the community can walk along it, sit on the benches and generally just use it to their desire. Since it is open to everyone as a public space, it had to be designed with this in mind and be functional. There are benches that can be moved together or apart along the railroad tracks, tailoring to the different needs and wants of the public utilizing the space. You can still see the railroad tracks in the ground which provides a link to the past. They incorporated them into the design, and they cut through the pavement. Plants grow in the tracks like they showed in images in the movie “Urbanized” when it was wild, overgrown and underused in 1999. The redesign incorporated the existing railroad tracks while adding design features to make it more usable and walkable. The main purpose of the High Line is to let people come take a break from the city while still being among it and nature. The design is industrial but incorporates plants to help you feel more at peace and calm.
It would be interesting to use this exercise as a form of researching past design projects of public spaces in New York City. Using readings about public spaces as research alongside observations is an impactful way to make thoughtful conclusions. It would also be interesting to further research the history of railroads and industrial design to understand more of the design process and how the space gained the style it has.
