The High Line, a transformed railway in Manhattan’s West Side, narrowly escaped demolition in the 1980s to become one of New York City’s premier attractions, drawing about 8 million visitors annually. Opened in 2009, the 1.45-mile greenway, designed by James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Piet Oudolf, features over 500 plant species. Expanded in phases (2012, 2014, 2019, 2023), it’s maintained by the Friends of the High Line and the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. The park offers public spaces, gardens, free programs, and contemporary art through High Line Art, established in 2009. Its success has inspired global cities to repurpose industrial sites into vibrant public spaces.
This is VernissageTV’s third film about the High Line. A comparison makes it clear that not only has the High Line itself evolved remarkably, but so has its surroundings. The initially relatively sparse planting has developed into, in parts, dense, forest-like vegetation. In parallel, the buildings have also shot up: This doesn’t just refer to the new Whitney Museum at one end of the High Line and the Hudson Yards skyscrapers at the other. But see for yourself.
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