Archinect - News

London's Camden Highline project gets official planning approval

2023-01-20T11:46:00-05:00

London is getting an attractive new elevated parkway feature after planning approvals were granted for the proposed Camden Highline, the BBC reported on Friday.

Running from Camden Gardens to Royal College Street near the King’s Cross transit hub, the parkway will transform a disused Victorian rail viaduct while adding green space to some of the capital’s traditionally underserved districts. It will also bring projected economic benefits totaling £10.9m ($13.46 million) over the project’s lifetime, and help stitch together the snaking chessboard of different neighborhoods that lie along its 1.2 kilometer (0.75-miles) path.

Piet Oudolf will lead the design, which apparently entails a series of “ecosystems and experiences” made up of three sections culminating in a fully-accessible entry point at York Street to the north. Each section will include a program of features such as a children’s playground, nesting sites, and an outdoor classroom. Construction costs for the first section o...

London's Camden Highline proposal submitted for planning, set to open first phase in 2025

2022-05-19T18:51:00-04:00

London’s proposed Camden Highline has been submitted for planning. Led by the practice behind the New York High Line, James Corner Field Operations, and Camden-based firm vPPR Architects, the project will regenerate a disused railway viaduct to establish an elevated park that connects Camden Town to Kings Cross.

The master plan will create walking routes between local neighborhoods and inject needed green space across a mix of communities. It will feature gardens, walkways, seating areas, cafés, arts and cultural interventions, spaces for charitable activities, and play areas for children. The initiative also aims to boost the region’s biodiversity by providing wildlife habitats for birds, insects, and animals.

Previously on Archinect: James Corner Field Operations to lead design for new UK Highline

“We are extremely excited to share this design vision for Camden Highline,” said Lead Designer James Corner. “The design is intended to celebrate and amplify the unique characteristics ...

James Corner Field Operations to lead design for new UK Highline

2021-02-16T13:49:00-05:00

Following the five-month search for a design team to deliver London's new elevated park, the Camden Highline has selected James Corner Feild Operations to lead the design team. The firm will work in collaboration with vPPR Architects and a number of other creative specialists including London artist Hew Locke, community consultation organization Street Space, and Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, among others.

For the first stages of the new project, the design team will consult the local community and key stakeholders to create an inclusive plan for the new walkway before advancing it through the planning process.

"Camden is such an extraordinary place, a vibrant, hip, and diverse community that will soon enjoy an amazingly unique, public green thread that ties its various communities together in ways both revelatory and transformative, said James Corner of Field Operations in a statement. "We could not be more excited to work with residents and stakeholders to create a one-of-a-...

Camden Highline gets backing from London Mayor

2017-07-28T02:36:00-04:00

Another day, another city, another high line—this time in London. While in America, we use crowdfunding to help supplement health care costs or to actualize an invention, in England, Spacehive is using this form of alternative financing to help back projects that make local places better. Think kickstarter, but for place-making. Projects range from a 90m temporary water slide in Bristol to a Library of Things in Southeast London where one can rent a violin or camping gear alongside their books. Among such proposals, is a 0.8km garden walk on a disused elevated railway line. Its project title—Camden Highline.

The project plans to transform the obsolete tracks into a new type of green infrastructure for walking and cycling. They are currently seeking £37,412 in order to cary out a feasibility study, including site appraisals and surveys. Thus far, the project has raised 93% of its funding goal to the thanks of 249 backers, including Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. Khan spoke of the pro...

Crowdfunding campaign launched for Camden Highline

2017-06-26T12:27:00-04:00

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched for the latest civic development in North London; the Camden Highline. For years, the disused railway has been talked about among local residents, with many wanting to see a little bit of New York in Camden Town.

Image Courtesy of Camden Town Unlimited

Since 2016, Camden Town Unlimited have been working with Network Rail to secure the 18-metre wide disused railway line, which runs for almost a kilometre between the beloved, vibrant Camden Market and the newly developed Kings Cross area. The initial ambitions for the project include creating a space which is accessible to all and will provide a home for the arts, festivals, and live performance, as well as ecological and educational benefits.

Image Courtesy of Camden Town Unlimited

Using the famous New York High Line as a precedent, this crowd-funded project will initially work on the existing infrastructure, workshops, events, and feasibility works. The funds raised from the campaign run on ...