Urban jungle: green space reaching new heights in concrete quarters
Elevated parks are all the rage. Spearheaded by James Corner’s work on New York’s High Line, cities across the globe are currently investing heavily in elevated urban parks that offer top-down views of familiar terrain. While some follow the High Line’s blueprint of repurposing abandoned rail lines, many more are simply planting trees and pathways wherever they can. Walk with us through the latest urban landscaping improving city life across the globe.
Parque Colinas del Sol and Parque Los Héroes
Architect: Francisco Pardo Arquitecto
Location: Toluca de Lerdo, Mexico
Two new parks in the urban outskirts of Mexico City in Toluca de Lerdo have been designed by Francisco Pardo Arquitecto to help revitalize neglected residential areas. The brief, initiated by two leading housing organisations in Mexico, CIDS and INFONAVIT, was part of a wider plan to tackle poor conditions of social housing in Mexico. Meeting tight budget requirements and the brief for a low maintenance design, Francisco Pardo Arquitecto designed and completed the gardens within 6 months – with help from the local communities, who were involved in the building of the parks to inspire a sense a pride and belonging within the neighbourhoods.
Photography: Jamie Navarro
Parque Colinas del Sol and Parque Los Héroes
Architect: Francisco Pardo Arquitecto
Location: Toluca de Lerdo, Mexico
Material elements of concrete, steel and cement blocks were arranged in different layouts to create an ‘urban tapestry’that could be assembled and repeated again in other communities. More than just oases to help citizens reconnect with nature, the parks are tools for engagement and environmentalism, say the architects.
Photography: Jamie Navarro
Parque Colinas del Sol and Parque Los Héroes
Architect: Francisco Pardo Arquitecto
Location: Toluca de Lerdo, Mexico
Parque Colinas del Sol, involved revitalizing a two hectare area that was divided into areas themed by the activities of the local community with a small pavilion for events. A river transports a partially contaminated water stream into a slow drop watering system for plants, and also shapes the areas of the park. At Parque Los Héroes an existing pavement was renovated with a hexagonal, modular cobblestone which modified the topography of the land. A tree grid with 100 plants will bring vegetation to the space and a skating ring, playground and football and basketball areas will improve the quality of life of the community.
Photography: Jamie Navarro
Seoullo 7017 Skygarden
Architect: MVRDV
Location: Seoul, South Korea
This soaring ’plant village’ has transformed 938m of a former inner city highway into a pedestrianised route through the booming megalopolis that is Seoul. The word Seoullo, the Korean name for the Skygarden, translates as ’towards Seoul’ and the number 7017 is symbolic of the year that the overpass was originally built, 1970, and the completion of the new design in 2017, marking the urban evolution of the structure.
Photography: Ossip van Duivenbode
The High Line
Architect: James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro
Location: New York City, US
Opened in 2009, the High Line has set the standard high for urban living, improving the quality of life for millions of NYC workers, dwellers and visitors. Located on Manhattan’s West Side, the elevated garden has also been a successful experiment for urbanists to understand how we can effectively re-use public space.
Photography: Iwan Baan. As originally featured in the November 2016 issue of Wallpaper* (W*212)
Transbay Transit Centre
Architect: PWP Landscape Architecture
Location: San Francisco, US
San Francisco’s newest park stretching across 5.4 acres will be atop a bus and high speed rail station. Designed as both a contemplative and activated destination, curving paths and extensive planting. Environmental artist Ned Kahn has designed a 1,200-foot-long Bus Jet Fountain, through which buses pass through.
As originally featured in the November 2016 issue of Wallpaper* (W*212)
The Garden Bridge
Architect: Heatherwick Studio
Location: London, UK
London is no longer planning its Thomas Heatherwick-designed garden bridge, after in April 2017 Mayor Sadiq Khan stated that its operations and maintenance could not be guaranteed with financial support. The bridge intended to improve pedestrian links from the north bank to the south bank, east of Waterloo Bridge.
Image courtesy of Arup. As originally featured in the November 2016 issue of Wallpaper* (W*212)
Governors Island park
Architect: West 8
Location: New York, US
The most beautiful view in Manhattan right now can be found on Governors Island, a previously abandoned space, where landscape architect Adriaan Geuze of West 8 has erected four artificial mountains. The masterplan, that completed in 2016, has transformed 87 acres of land into a recreational destination.
Photography: Timothy Shneck. As originally featured in the November 2016 issue of Wallpaper* (W*212)