Imagine skylights that could allow plants and even an entire park to grow underground. In a crowded city like NYC, an urban underground park more than a dream thanks to the technology developed by architect Dan Barasch and his partner James Ramsey. Their Delancey Underground Project aims to convert an unused trolley terminal that extends for about three blocks right below Delancey Street (between Essex Street and the entrance to the Williamsburg Bridge) and turn this cavernous space into an extraordinary subterranean public park– nicknamed the “LowLine” after the successful elevated "High Line" park on the West Side of Manhattan.
James Ramsey and Dan Barasch
The Low Line might be the next urban frontier according to Salon.com:
Dan Barasch and his partner James Ramsey are the co-designers of a wild new public-park concept cast in the mold of the city’s acclaimed High Line — except that instead of hoisting their park into the sky, they want to sink it into the mud. Envisioning a verdant cave filled with grass and trees.
Bararsch and Ramsey are seeking financing through "a combination of donations, grant money, public money and revenue from a limited number of shops inside the space could cover construction and maintenance" according to NYTimes.com. This ambitious project will only be funded if at least $100,000 is pledged by Friday, April 6th. You can make a pledge at Kickstarter here and watch their video below.
Important links:
- If you are interested in funding this green initiative, go to LowLine: An Underground Park on NYC's Lower East Side by Dan Barasch on Kickstarter.
- Follow the LowLine on Twitter
- Like the LowLine project on Facebook: Delancey Underground
- Of course, more details about this project on their website, Delancey underground - The Project (delanceyunderground.org)
Photos via LowLine on Kickstarter.
Yippee! This blog post was selected to be featured on BlogHer.com to promote green design on March 9th.
