Competition seeks architects to design a High Line for London
A community group in London has completed a design brief for an elevated linear park following one of the city’s disused railway lines.
Named the Peckham Coal Line, the proposed green space would occupy a 900m (1km) stretch of a line once used to transport coal between two train stations in Peckham, south-east London. The planned park consists of pedestrian and cycle routes running through Victorian brick viaducts before dropping down to a little-used nature reserve.
The Friends of the Peckham Coal Line (FPCL) are behind the plans, which are being developed in consultation with Southwark Council, The Greater London Authority and Network Rail – which owns most of the land and railway.
In a statement issued on their website, FPCL said: “The Coal Line would allow us to discover local history in the atmospheric shadow of grand old Victorian arches and factories with park views towards the city skyscrapers and beyond helping contextualise Peckham geographically and historically.
“This will transform Peckham. It will turn disused space into a source of civic pride that brings benefits to health, culture and business and celebrates Peckham’s industrial past.”
The group has successfully crowdfunded £70,000 (US$104,000, €96,200) to create a design and feasibility brief for the project. This is being made available to architects, engineers and landscape designers, who have been invited to team up and submit their technical vision for the Peckham Coal Line via an open tender.
All entrants must have experience working with railway infrastructure, solving technically difficult engineering situations and creating designs relating to public realm within both new and existing structures.
The deadline for submissions is 29 January 2016.
FPCL hopes the Peckham Coal Line can be integrated into the ongoing £15m (US$22.3m, €20.6m) regeneration of Peckham Rye station, which is committed to improving access to the station, creating more leisure facilities and increasing the public realm in the surrounding area.
The scheme has been inspired by New York’s High Line. and follows in the footsteps of Singapore, Seoul and Sydney.
Since fully opening in 2014, the High Line – built on an elevated section of a disused railway in Manhattan – has been a huge success, attracting millions of visitors every year.
The project – designed by landscape firm James Corner Field Operations, architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Dutch designer Piet Oudolf – was in turn inspired by the Promenade Plantée in Paris, which opened in 1993.
International architecture firm Arup recently published a report declaring city planners around the world must do more to create green urban environments that promote the health and wellbeing.
The report called for unused transport links, bridges and obsolete infrastructure to be transformed into natural habitats for wildlife and spaces for human enjoyment.
Nikken Sekkei to masterplan Singapore's High Line-inspired rail corridor
First phase of Sydney's High Line-inspired Goods Line opens to the public
Five teams shortlisted for Singapore's Rail Corridor redevelopment
Bjarke Ingels, Renzo Piano and other top architects take part in Lego art project at New York’s High Line
South Korea adopts High Line approach with MVRDV's Seoul Skygarden plan
Could BIG's Dryline be New York's next High Line?
Parks and trails could mobilise city dwellers
James Corner Field Operations chosen to design San Francisco's Presidio Park
Phase 3 of NYC High Line project sees innovative park opened to public
FEATURE: Future parks – The future for our public spaces
FEATURE: Features – The High Line


Swedish architects Wingårdhs create year-round resort with waterpark and hotel for Liseberg

Juneteenth Museum by Bjarke Ingels Group has been designed to inspire spiritual uplift

BIG and HOK's timber concept wins Zurich Airport competition

Christoph Ingenhoven reveals Lanserhof Sylt, featuring the largest thatched roof in Europe

BIG's designs Prague concert hall to be vibrant centre of life

Mather & Co-designed Gretna Green Experience opens to the public

Project to save last major bellfoundry which cast bells for St Paul's and Washington National Cathedral

Perkins & Will reveals designs for net-zero sports and cultural centre in Toronto

World’s first living waterslides announced for Therme Manchester

Heatherwick reveals Volcano-inspired opera house designs for Hainan

Natural history museum planned for Abu Dhabi

Controversial London music venue, MSG Sphere, gets full planning permission

Clifford's Tower opens to the public after £5m redevelopment

Clifford's Tower opens to the public after £5m redevelopment

Glasgow's iconic Burrell Collection reopens after five-year, £68.5m revamp

SB Architects delivers Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Costa Rica with tree-house spa and private residences

Ole Scheeren designs vertical jungle resort complex in China

Designer Brian d’Souza launches Swell to create evocative soundscapes for physical environments

Basalt Architects create geothermal Forest Lagoon in the wilds of Iceland

Hot Pickle design £73m Guinness visitor attraction for Diageo in London

Amsterdam's new digital art centre Fabrique des Lumières will use tech to bring art alive

Pharrell Williams to launch tropical Bahamian beach resort

Banyan Tree curating solar-powered wellness retreat on private Mozambican island

Dubai Expo hits 10 million visits

Foster + Partners designs Dorchester Collection's first hotel in Middle East

Neil Jacobs reveals Six Senses Places concept for major cities

Orient Express returns to Italy after 46 years with six trains designed by Dimorestudio and new Rome hotel

400-year-old mineral spring will power Preidlhof’s €2m medicinal bath experience

Universal Beijing Resort reveals expansion plans for second phase
