Mark your calendars – the Lowline is going public! After a great gallery exhibition and tons of international support, the Lowline founders are launching a public exhibition to showcase their innovative technological approach to creating the world’s first underground park on the Lower East Side of New York City. The full scale exhibition will take place in the Essex Market Building D, an abandoned warehouse just above the proposed Lowline Park, from September 15-27.
More after the break.
As we have reported earlier, obviously, the major challenge of an underground park is bringing the sunlight, fresh air and feeling of openness to an isolated section of rail tracks. Yet, James Ramsey, Co-Founder of the Lowline and owner of Raad Studio, has embraced such a challenge and is excited to share the team’s innovative solar technology. As part of the vision, “remote skylights” would concentrate natural sunlight at street level, and then channel it underground, generating enough light to support photosynthesis.
The core of the “Imagining the Lowline” exhibit will feature the installation of a solar collector, a canopy distributor, and a small-scale green park to help the community envision the technology and its stunning aesthetic elements.
Not a believer? Well, stop in at the exhibit (you might just happen to see the ArchDaily team there) to engage in discussion regarding the park’s concept, technology and future uses. “Imagining the Lowline provides an opportunity to see first-hand how solar technology can bring sunlight underground,” says James Ramsey, Co-Founder of the Lowline and owner of Raad Studio.
In addition to displaying the solar technology, the exhibition will showcase innovative research proposals on mobility for a new kind of public space in New York City with special attention on the potential of transportation systems and underground spaces. Nine student proposals from Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation will be presented along with a 50-foot-long suspended model of Manhattanʼs subway grid that contextualizes the Lowline within the cityʼs huge inventory of underground spaces.
We’ll keep you informed as things unravel and be sure to check out our previous coverage of the Delancey Underground - especially our exclusive interview with James Ramsey.
