The High Line in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District proved that revitalized admission-free public space not only engages both citizens and visitors, but also, from the slew of developments surrounding it, generate income for the city.
Elevated parks are now making its way around the world’s largest metropolises. Chicago recently completed its Bloomingdale Trail, and Seoul has commissioned MVRDV to convert one of their underused highways into a park. Jumping on the bandwagon is Mexico City, and plans to create a “Cultural Corridor” on Avenida Chapultepec has circulated online.
According to Architizer, local practice FR-EE Fernando Romero Enterprise has been tapped to undertake a project dubbed “considerably more complex in many ways” if compared to the High Line.
CORREDOR CULTURAL CHAPULTEPEC BY FR-EE / FRENTE / RVDG from FR-EE Fernando Romero Enterprise on Vimeo.
The city’s ancient viaduct, built by the Aztecs, were an inspiration to the park’s design. Ruins of the viaduct will form a key feature of the park.
Mexico City’s scheme will be composed of “interwoven ribbons of walkable infrastructure, with many sections rising, falling, and splitting in response to the adjacent buildings, roadways, and the metro line beneath,” Architizer reports.
Portions of the pathway will accommodate al fresco cafes, and offer up space for street entertainers and artists.
Related Stories
Cultural Facilities | Jun 5, 2015
Chicago’s 606 elevated park opens
The 2.7-mile stretch repurposes an abandoned elevated train track that snakes through Humboldt Park and Bucktown.
Cultural Facilities | Jun 2, 2015
Snøhetta and Dialog to revitalize Willamette Falls area in Oregon
As part of the plan, an abandoned paper mill will be repurposed, while landscaping and running trails will be added.
BIM and Information Technology | May 27, 2015
4 projects honored with AIA TAP Innovation Awards for excellence in BIM and project delivery
Morphosis Architects' Emerson College building in Los Angeles and the University of Delaware’s ISE Lab are among the projects honored by AIA for their use of BIM/VDC tools.
Cultural Facilities | May 15, 2015
Design for beekeeping facility in Tanzania by Jaklitsch/Gardner Architects unveiled
The developers say the center will be an important educational and vocational tool.
Cultural Facilities | May 14, 2015
Szczecin Philharmonic Hall wins Mies van der Rohe Award 2015
The hall is composed following a Fibonacci sequence whose fragmentation increases with the distance from the scene.
Cultural Facilities | May 13, 2015
MVRDV selected to design High Line-inspired park in Seoul
The garden will be organized as a library of plants, which will make the park easier to navigate.
Museums | May 13, 2015
The museum of tomorrow: 8 things to know about cultural institutions in today’s society
Entertainment-based experiences, personal journeys, and community engagement are among the key themes that cultural institutions must embrace to stay relevant, write Gensler's Diana Lee and Richard Jacob.
High-rise Construction | May 6, 2015
Parks in the sky? Subterranean bike paths? Meet the livable city, designed in 3D
Today’s great cities must be resilient—and open—to many things, including the influx of humanity, writes Gensler co-CEO Andy Cohen.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 22, 2015
Condo developers covet churches for conversions
Former churches, many of which are sitting on prime urban real estate, are being converted into libraries, restaurants, and with greater frequency condominiums.
Green | Apr 22, 2015
AIA Committee on the Environment recognizes Top 10 Green Projects
Seattle's Bullitt Center and the University Center at The New School are among AIA's top 10 green buildings for 2015.