NYC’s abandoned subway station won’t become a mall — it’s turning into the world’s first underground park

▲ The world’s first underground park in New York (Image /raadstudio.com official website)

By Rita

In the past, spaces connecting underground transit and above-ground attractions were almost always filled with generic shops, but now, other countries have started to reimagine these areas. Take New York, for example — the city’s first underground park is nearing completion, created by transforming an unused subway station.

According to Lonely Planet’s website, this underground garden was conceived and designed by RAAD Studio. Dubbed the Lowline, the park project is located between Delancey Street and Essex Street stations in Manhattan, and it bears some resemblance to the High Line in Manhattan.

▲ The New York underground park is designed by RAAD Studio (Image / raadstudio.com official website)

In 2015, the studio demonstrated the potential of the underground park to visitors through an experimental exhibit, attracting 45,000 visitors. To address the inherent environmental challenges of the underground space, the team invented a slow-drip irrigation system and employed a solar technology system designed by former NASA engineers. Using these innovations, 3,000 types of plants were successfully grown in the environment.

The team has now received permission from the New York City government, and the dream of the underground park is gradually becoming a reality. Eager travelers can still visit the RAAD Studio lab in the meantime.

The Lowline Park Lab
Exhibition Dates: Now – March 2017
Visiting Hours: 11am – 5pm