London's Answer to New York's High Line? You Must Be Joking

That's pretty interesting. Has anyone else walked it? Is it really that bad?

I remember thinking The High Line was the dumbest idea ever, and then I walked it. It's really interesting, way more fun than you'd guess a 40ft wide park would be.

What makes the HighLine great is that it was a repurposed abandoned railway track. Much of its value comes not from its actual form and structure but from the fact that they made something out of junk.

The efforts to recreate a High Line from scratch defeats the entire purpose. As great as the High Line is, you can do much better if you’re creating something completely new.

Really depressing to read. I can't help but arrive at the cynical conclusion that cities will just continue to be converted into soulless "junkyards of half-baked ideas and botched plans" as the article describes. Why can't cities issue public contests for plans and let anyone submit designs? Slightly related: probably the most famous example of this in the US is the Vietnamese student that designed the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial. Many people hated it at first (especially veterans), but now it's one of the most unique and lauded war memorials in the world.

We need more of that in urban planning, not development firms half a world away designing them.

London has already several hidden paths that follow ancient streams and old railway tracks. They aren't as famous so stumbling on these hidden gems are a real treat.

Having to create a new artificial one defeats the purpose..

Is the High Line a question that needs answering?

The one time I visited it, it was crowded shoulder-to-shoulder, and getting through the people was distracting enough that I barely saw the scenery.

FYI, there is also a plan for something high-line like in the area of Kings Cross to Camden in London, also on disused elevated railway tracks.

It seems to be about half as long as the NYC High line though.

https://www.camdenhighline.com/