Under the Elevated

Susannah joined a team of four other Fellows (Graphic Design, Policy, Participatory Design, and Photo Urbanism) to reimagine and transform underutilized space below New York City’s elevated transit infrastructure.

Under the Elevated engages numerous stakeholders, including community leaders, planners, architects, artists, city agencies, civic leaders, and cultural organizations. The project developed strategies to improve the function, use, and experience of millions of square feet underneath New York’s bridges, elevated highways, subways, and rail lines.

Underneath New York City’s 700 miles of elevated bridges, highways, subway and rail lines lies millions of square feet of public space – nearly four times the size of Central Park – with the potential to radically transform life in the city.

Sasaki looked extensively at elevated typologies, possible programmatic solutions, and potential green infrastructure opportunities. Seven sites in the five New York City boroughs were analyzed for their spatial, cultural, and jurisdictional opportunities and constraints. The team then developed short-term and long-term design strategies for each site.

The results and recommendations from the two-year study are published in: Under the Elevated: Reclaiming Space, Connecting Communities, which is available from The Design Trust for Public Space.

Synthesizing more than two years of research, design, and policy work conducted by the multi-disciplinary team of Fellows in collaboration with their project partner and the Design Trust staff, the Under the Elevated publication envisions how to increase the vibrancy and resiliency of neighborhoods in all five boroughs, and cities everywhere, by addressing and reclaiming the spaces associated with elevated transportation infrastructure. The substantial inventory of space in NYC alone represents an untapped public asset that the has the potential to make a significant impact on the urban fabric.