Schimberg Group
Architecture & Interior Design
1421 5th Street, Unit D
Sarasota, FL 34236
Exploring The Built Environment: Always Look Back
By Barron Schimberg, AIA
Recently, my wife Patty and I visited the High Line
, an elevated park running along Manhattan’s west side. Converted from a historic freight rail line, the High Line is an extraordinary and popular public space. As we walked north, we were reminded of the following:
- Even in a major city like New York, there is always a different perspective from a pedestrian eye.
- Urban oddities create visual stimulation and unique moments that provide opportunities in our lives for creativity and enjoyable experiences.
- Always look back. As we walked past buildings and saw what was in front of us, we often turned around and looked at what we had passed. When we did, we saw completely different shapes, moments, and spaces.
What fascinated me the most about the High Line was the experience that this park provides pedestrians:
- The opportunity to sit over a roadway and watch cars go by, like birds sitting on a wire.
- The view between two multi-story buildings of wires, cables, ductwork, and windows creating a quilt-like patchwork of shapes and lines.
- A peek into the mind of an architect or sculptor or an artist about how they chose to express an aesthetic, not at eye level, but at 30 feet above grade.
The question for me is: How many amazing experiences are out there in other cities that we are either missing, or could create?
Fun sculpture on a roof
Modern architecture juxtaposed with a 20th century building. Seeing it at 30-ft. above grade lets you truly experience the two styles.
Space between two buildings
Modern glazing juxtaposed with old, industrial building mass
I shot the photos above as we walked in the High Line. To glimpse other views from the park, visit the Image Galleries section on the official High Line website.
LINK
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