Witold Rybczynski thinks not, saying that the success of the project's "landscape urbanism" is its remarkably dense and urban setting, not the hip design and landscaping.
As the new section of the High Line is set to open, Rybczynski says that landscape urbanists are readying to point to the site as the success story of their movement, a model for future town planning. Rybczynski thinks that is ill-advised.
He writes:
"The High Line may be a landscaping project, but a good part of its success is due to its architectural setting, which, like the 12th Arrondissement, is crowded with interesting old and new buildings. The park courses through the meatpacking district and Chelsea, heavily populated, high-energy residential neighborhoods. Very few American cities - and Manhattan is the densest urban area in the country - can offer the same combination of history and density."
Rybczynski also points to the great expense of the project and other reasons why a High Line would likely not work out in a Des Moines or Phoenix.
FULL STORY: Bringing the High Line Back to Earth

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Piedmont Environmental Council
City of Oakland, California
Marin Transit
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of San Carlos
City of Redwood City
City of Hot Springs
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.