REI Engineering, the local firm who designed the roof system, recently gave a presentation on their experience designing, permitting and installing the system. For them, selling the client on the benefits of a green roof was easy. This was primarily due to the clarity of the economics involved. After all of the studies and pricing exercises, it was concluded that the green roof system would only cost 25% more than that of a typical roof, yet it would be expected last approximately twice as long. When looked at from the perspective of life-cycle costs, it is a no-brainer. From there, following some minor difficulty getting through the permit process, the project was executed rather smoothly.

A few points about the installation:

• In preparation for the living components of the roof, the surface was waterproofed using high quality systems compatible with the substrate.
• The newly installed waterproofing systems was analyzed using electric field vector mapping to ensure integrity.
• Paver walkways were laid out around the perimeter to allow access to any parapet roofing details.
• The soil used was specially designed to be heavy enough to stay on the roof while it established itself.
• A variety of low-maintenance sedums were planted as cover, ensuring that whole sections would not die off.
• The most accessible roof was designed to accommodate an exterior kitchen for entertaining in the future.
• Because all of the critical waterproofing membranes are shielded from harsh conditions (UV), they are more reliable and will last longer.

The roof currently is around a year and a half of establishment.  Some of the sedum varieties have died off while others have flourished. Overall, it is nice to see some building owners taking the initiative to explore and benefit from this technology. It will be interesting to see how the plant cover looks when it is fully established and what benefits the client sees.

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Exterior Design

The structure was designed by Morphosis, a firm out of Los Angeles. Known recently for their public and academic work, they specialize in ultra-modern designs featuring folding planes, metal skins and complex spaces. This building continues that theme with a layered skin of glass and perforated metal panels. Finished cast-in-place concrete serves to support the structure and also break up the metal skin on the front facade.

At street level, the academic building is devoid of any public interface – a small guarded lobby is as far as we were allowed. On the outside, there is an intricate relationship between pedestrians and the building along 3rd Avenue as one can walk around the obliquely angled columns, underneath the perforated skin and even on top of a few formal elements. The scale isn’t uncomfortable, but the materials are fairly harsh and lack human scale. On the back and sides, however, pedestrians are “greeted” with blank concrete walls and an unfinished tail of the perforated metal skin.

Architecture like this can be a challenge for even the most skilled designers and there are multiple, very visible unresolved areas. The most noticeable ones can be found at street level in the space underneath and behind the panelized facade. These mistakes range from rusting structural components left exposed, to incomplete storefront assemblies. After seeing a few of these types of projects, though, mistakes become expected.

While it lacks good quality urban substance, I will say the project does make for some pleasing eye candy and I can only assume that it treats the privileged users with inspiring spaces, optimized for higher learning.

Links

• The Cooper Union’s Vision
• Dezeen Blog Article
• Construction Photos

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History

Paraphrased from to the High Line History Page:

It began back in 1847 as a ground level railroad. With over 105 crossings, it became a dangerous enterprise that resulted in many deaths over the next 80 years. In 1929, the city and state decided to elevate the railroad in areas and bury it in others. The 13 mile project cost over $150 million dollars, which is equivalent to $2 billion dollars today.

The line travels through the center of blocks to avoid creating negative conditions that an elevated railroad would cause traveling over streets. It connects directly to and in some cases goes inside the factories. Goods could come and go and never disrupt street-level traffic. In the 1950s, the exploding growth of interstate trucking began to cause declines in rail traffic. Ten years later, the southern-most section of the High Line is demolished. In 1980, the last train runs on the tracks.

During the 29 years of abandonment, groups of residents and landowners advocated for demolition as well as saving. After several city resolutions were passed advocating for the reuse of the High Line, a competition was held looking for ideas on how to reuse the crumbling infrastructure. Over 720 teams submitted entries. After the city took ownership of the line in 2005, and groundbreaking and construction period followed before the opening this past June.

The project was designed by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro and construction on phase 1 of the park cost around $172 million public dollars to build. This investment into the community has resulted in more than 30 different projects being proposed or constructed.

The Visit

We headed toward the High Line from the east, approaching it from 14th Street. The meat-packing district seemed lively even though it was rainy weather. We walked down to the Gansevoort stairs and ascended up into the project. The greenery was lush and had a nice relationship to the concrete pathways. Although most people there were doing the same thing I was doing, there were a few groups having lunch in the covered areas and just lounging about.

Integration with Context

The Standard Hotel rises up perpendicular to and over the High Line. Immense concrete stilts hold the hotel up above the park, creating a loose enclosure of sorts. The space below it is free of foliage, providing ample room for events. This is a theme that repeats itself as the the High Line continues northward.

10th Avenue Square

This section of the High Line houses a cool feature created by the elevated rail as it passes over 10th Avenue diagonally. A large footprint of extra structure without rails allowed the designers to carve out a stepped theater inside of the structure. Large windows cut into the street face lets patrons of the park sit down and watch traffic from a rare vantage point. Getting right up next to the windows lets you “inhabit” the street and traffic. From a material standpoint, this area is built of dark wood planks, as opposed to concrete and wild grasses that dominate the other parts of the High Line.

Overall, it is an excited park to inhabit and experience. A rich material tapestry and deep design strategy creates spaces for just about anything imaginable, and it is all done on a obsolete piece of infrastructure slated for demolition. This kind of investment serves to enrich communities and it shows in the case of the High Line.

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Location

Capitalizing on the popularity of the Ravenel Bridge’s pedestrian walkway and Patriots Point, the park reclaims a sizable chunk of land that was formerly the location of the previous Cooper River Bridges, as well as a staging area for the construction of the new bridge. Because it is not visible from any major road, ample signage directs people to the park. Parking is relegated to the space underneath the bridge approach span, thereby preserving as much land as possible for park functions.

The Pier

The pier, measuring in at 1250 feet in length, is the longest in the area and seems to provide ample space for fishing, walking and sitting. It is constructed of concrete and features four covered seating pavilions. Although nothing informs visitors of this, the pier is actually built on the partially demolished support columns from the old Cooper River Bridge – a fitting homage given the enormous impact the bridge had on development of Mt. Pleasant over the past 50 years. A walk to the end of the pier provides tremendous views of the new bridge towering above, the harbor stretching out in all directions, Patriots Point to the southeast and all of the ship traffic that passes daily.

Design

From the perspective of design, the park feels clean and modern.  Primary materials, simple connections and clean lines dominate views. Structures are designed with a clear hierarchy of materials and connections are expressed. This can be seen best on the pier where concrete forms the structural backbone of the then steel and wood canopies. Lighting on the pier is taken care of through traditional posts, canopy uplighting and an over-designed recessed wooden light assembly located in each concrete railing post. Seating is handled through an extensive collection of metal and wood benches, tables and swings. The landscape of the park space feels urban thanks to the array of sculpted and curved walkways, open grass areas, numerous planting beds, groups of flowers and water features. A curved trellis and fountain that surround a bronze sculpture of a woman holding a folded flag make up a solemn war memorial. The park compliments the Ravenel Bridge in every sense of the word and is a comfortable place for people to be while on the harbor.

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