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Territory DevelopmentAfter Paris and New York, London is creating its own aerial green corridor
The British capital is preparing to transform an old railway viaduct into a tree-lined promenade. The Camden High Line will connect the neighborhoods of Camden and King’s Cross.
The bridge, now overgrown next to still operational railway lines, is set to become a green space attracting many Londoners.
AFP
“We hope to build an incredible park in the sky,” says Simon Pitkeathley (above center), who oversees the project, guiding local residents to show them the imagined green corridor.
AFP
Transforming an old railway line into a “park in the sky”: London is inspired by New York and is about to embark on the construction of its own aerial green corridor, in the heart of the British capital. Local authorities must give the official green light on January 19 for the launch of the first section of the “Camden Highline”, in reference to the name of the famous planted promenade in Manhattan.
It took half a decade of relentless planning, architectural reflection and fundraising by residents, businesses, donors and politicians for the project to see the light of day. The 1.2 kilometer long former railway viaduct will link Camden Town to the newly transformed King’s Cross area. The bridge, now overgrown next to still operational railway lines, is set to become a green space attracting many Londoners.
A park in the sky
“We hope to build an incredible park in the sky,” said Simon Pitkeathley, who oversees the project. It “is going to be a beautiful and pleasant environment to move between these two vibrant parts of London”, he added, guiding local residents to show them the green corridor imagined on the viaduct, built in the Victorian era. but unused for nearly forty years, .
The architectural offices of vPPR and James Corner Field Operations, the company behind Manhattan’s High Line, won the tender for which dozens of companies had come forward. Reminiscent of the green corridor created in 1988 in eastern Paris, the American promenade, built on a former railway line in eastern Manhattan, has become a major tourist spot since its opening in 2009 and has recently been enlarged.
London’s green casting is inspired by New York’s Manhattan High Line, above.
Getty Images via AFP
Protected by windows
However, the two green flows will be “quite different, especially because we are right next to real trains”, explains Simon Pitkeathley. Thick transparent panes will protect pedestrians. The promenade will pass through the Camden Road underground station, which will be one of the four or five entrances envisaged to join the green corridor. The architects plan to leave the structures of the bridge exposed to “celebrate” the alliance between nature and aging monuments.
Built in several phases, the promenade should cost at least 35 million pounds (approx. 40 million francs) in total, according to estimates. The first part will start at Camden Market and could open to the public by 2025. The other two sections are expected to take at least two more years to build.
La Coulée Verte, created in 1988 in the Bastille district, in eastern Paris.
AFP
A justified cost in a country in the midst of an economic crisis?
But before that, those responsible for the project must find the 14 million pounds needed for the first stage of construction. The association formed to carry out the project has already raised – and spent – around 1 million pounds. She hopes to step up her efforts once the building permit is officially granted. The project is backed by Camden City Council, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and political figures like Labor opposition leader Keir Starmer, local MP.
While locals are enthusiastic, some fear that the UK’s cost of living crisis will threaten the project. Others will wonder if these funds could not have been spent elsewhere, underlines Naomi Craft, doctor of 58 years. “But I find it (a project) exciting.”
(AFP)
