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 political figures 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.
“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 imagined green corridor.
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Mobilization of neighborhood residents
The 'Camden High line' project in north London is on track to transform a disused section of elevated railway in the heart of the city into a 'park in the sky', mimicking similar successful projects in Paris and New York.
Daniel LEAL / AFP
Architectural firms 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.
According to James Corner, its London sister will be
"a one-of-a-kind elevated park (...) illustrating the magical symbiosis between nature, culture, arts and people"
.
The project mobilized residents of Camden, a district in the north of the capital known for its market and its nightlife.
“We love the High Line in New York and (we) are super enthusiastic that the same company is in charge of that”
in London, rejoices Charlotte Tansey.
"There are so many tourists coming to Camden every day, it would be great for them to have a new view, like in Manhattan!"
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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 viaduct, built in the Victorian era but unused for nearly 40 years, is on long-term loan to Camden Highline by Network Rail, owner of some 32,000 kilometers of British rail.
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.
Fundraising
Camden High Line Managing Director Simon Pitkeathley guides visitors through the future green belt project.
Daniel LEAL / AFP
Built in phases, the promenade is expected to cost at least 35 million pounds (40 million euros) 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.
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.
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The project is backed by Camden City Council, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and political figures like Labor opposition leader Keir Starmer, a local MP.
Simon Pitkeathley assures that he can find the funds.
It targets wealthy donors, public organizations and business partners.
While locals are enthusiastic, some fear that the UK's cost of living crisis will threaten the project.
