Development of Urban Planning. Encyclopædia Britannica
Designing programmed and functional space is an early example of urban planning development. www.britannica.com
In the video entitiled, "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces", William Whyte outlines seven programmatic characteristics necessary for successful and functional outdoor parks and plazas:
Designing programmed and functional space is an early example of urban planning development. www.britannica.com
In the video entitiled, "The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces", William Whyte outlines seven programmatic characteristics necessary for successful and functional outdoor parks and plazas:
1. opportunities for seating
2. close proximity to the street
3. sunlight
4. opportunities to purchase food
5. water features
6. trees and tree cover
7. elements of space that encourage people to congregate
The Highline, located within the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, was built in the 1930s as an elevated railway but has not been used as such since the 1980s. At the end of the 1990s a grassroots organization formed to protect the railway from demolition in order to preserve it as an elevated park. The northern portion of the Highline opened in 2009 for public use, the remainder is currently under renovation. The existing and proposed renovations of the elevated park embody the seven characteristics outlined by Whyte. www.thehighline.org
The Highline, located within the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, was built in the 1930s as an elevated railway but has not been used as such since the 1980s. At the end of the 1990s a grassroots organization formed to protect the railway from demolition in order to preserve it as an elevated park. The northern portion of the Highline opened in 2009 for public use, the remainder is currently under renovation. The existing and proposed renovations of the elevated park embody the seven characteristics outlined by Whyte. www.thehighline.org
The HighlinePhotographed on May 29, 2010 at the center of the Highline
Designed use: elevated railway
Actual use: public Park
Recommendations: Constraints to prohibit gathering along narrower portions of the Highline's path
1. opportunities for seating - There are currently several opportunities for seating on the Highline and more are within the proposed construction. Some of the seating is designed within the Highline such as sunken ledges and stepped plains, additional opportunities for seating include floating benches and wooden chaise loungers on the sundeck. Seating occurs at constant intervals and abuts the walking path for easy access by passersby.
2. close proximity to the street - In most locations the Highline runs parallel to the street directly above the sidewalk. All of the access points are penetrable from the sidewalk. Some of the access stairs are designed as "slow stairs", wide stairs with landings that allow the pedestrian to absorb the robust steel and aluminum construction of the railway as they ascend from the busy street to the quiet elevated park. The park's close proximity to the street aids its use by the public because the park is located where pedestrians already are; as William Whyte noted, "what attracts people, it would appear, is other people".
Gansevoort St. slow stair section
blog.thehighline.org
3. sunlight -The Highline gets plenty of sunlight. It is not as inhibited by neighboring buildings as the street level because it is approximately 2 floors above street level. Tree cover and depot terminals provide periodic shade but for the most part the Highline receives unobstructed sunlight.
1. opportunities for seating - There are currently several opportunities for seating on the Highline and more are within the proposed construction. Some of the seating is designed within the Highline such as sunken ledges and stepped plains, additional opportunities for seating include floating benches and wooden chaise loungers on the sundeck. Seating occurs at constant intervals and abuts the walking path for easy access by passersby.
2. close proximity to the street - In most locations the Highline runs parallel to the street directly above the sidewalk. All of the access points are penetrable from the sidewalk. Some of the access stairs are designed as "slow stairs", wide stairs with landings that allow the pedestrian to absorb the robust steel and aluminum construction of the railway as they ascend from the busy street to the quiet elevated park. The park's close proximity to the street aids its use by the public because the park is located where pedestrians already are; as William Whyte noted, "what attracts people, it would appear, is other people".
Gansevoort St. slow stair section
blog.thehighline.org
3. sunlight -The Highline gets plenty of sunlight. It is not as inhibited by neighboring buildings as the street level because it is approximately 2 floors above street level. Tree cover and depot terminals provide periodic shade but for the most part the Highline receives unobstructed sunlight.
4. opportunities to purchase food - Though there do not currently exist opportunities to purchase food along the Highline, a section of the park passes through the Chelsea Market building. Access to the Chelsea Market occurs at street level and there are stairs from the elevated rail to the street close by. Visitors are allowed to dine on the Highline with the food they bring and tables and chairs are provided on the Highline along the Chelsea Market swath.
www.thehighline.org
This is a map of the total span of the Highline. Red circles highlight key features of the elevated park: for example the wading pool, grassland and woodland.
5. water features - A wading pool is part of the future construction to the Highline. This will be located towards the southern end of the Highline adjacent across from the wooden lounge chairs. Visitors will be able to skim their hands and/or feet along the water of the wading pool. This interactive water feature will provide a cool retreat to those who choose to partake.
6. trees and tree cover - Foliage frames the Highline at heights that engage walkers and seated individuals.
7. elements of space that encourage people to congregate - Intermittent opportunities for seating along the edges of the narrow elevated park encourage people to congregate; gazers line the edge and view the Highline's runway. Visitors who assume the role of model, either by choice or circumstance become the source of idle babble.
