Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

In the summer of 2009 the High Line opened in New York, a park built on an out-of use elevated rail viaduct. The park meanders its way through the buildings and allows the visitor to see the city from a totally different perspecive than we are used to.

I have made a Design proposal in Eriksdalslunden, Stockholm, with inspiration from the High Line. The proposal is based on design ideas of a park I logically call the Low Line, as the place isn't elevated as in New York, but lowered. The two places have some similarities, mainly the strong urban identity and the tracks crossing both areas. They also have very obvious differences, above all the fact that Eriksdalslunden is situated in a swale and is defined in a third dimension by the high bridges that crosses the area.

The High Line is designed by James Corner Field Operations, and they have been working using their motto 'Keep it Simple, Keep it Wild, Keep it Quiet and Keep it Slow' during the whole process, words that normally aren't associated to Manhattan. I have also had the motto as a guide in the creation of a park that gives the visitor s possibility to enjoy peace and quiet in a very urban environment. The Design proposal isn't only contributing with plants to the area, but will also be the public place where people can meet and participate in different kinds of activities.The choice of plants is based on the existing and native material, to relate to the wild and simple aspect of the motto.

The work consits of four major sections. The first describes shortly the place I have chose to work with today. The second part deals with the history and design of the High Line and the third part gives the reader a more deep knowlegde about the physical conditions of Eriksdalslunden. To sum up I present my Design proposal and then the final discussion.