above | below | beyond’s closing celebration 12-5 at Next American City
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NYC Highline Fall Trip
During a recent trip to the NYC Highline, I realized the potential of a well-programmed space. Not expecting to find anything but beautiful views and vibrant fall plant material, I found myself in the middle of a fall festival. There were musicians, pumpkin painting activities, scavenger hunts, and many people dressed for the festivities. Every section of the park was filled with activities that were remarkably managed by the Friends of the Highline group.
From my last visit to the park, there seemed to be so much more energy and life. I believe this had to do with the programming of the space. The Highline is an amazing park but when the culmination of an event brings people together its true potential as a civic space is shown.
Aside from the fantastic festival, the plant material was astonishing. The contrast of the vibrant lavender asters against the many fall grasses made it feel like spring was just around the corner.
Apart from all the beauty and excitement I experienced at the Highline, it gave me such hope for the Philadelphia Reading Viaduct. The Highline sets a great precedent for us to follow while only being two hours from Philadelphia. If you haven’t been to the Highline, it is a must see being a truly marvelous place that brings a project like the Reading Viaduct closer to reality.
THANK YOU AND HELP US REACH OUR KICKSTARTER GOAL
Hello Everyone,
We would like to sincerely thank everyone who came out to our event this weekend! Your support allowed us to get a great turnout, and we’re touched to know that so many people came together for such a great cause!
As we near the end of our Kickstarter campaign, we are just $450 short of our goal!! Please help us reach our goal by October 17th!!
The show will be open to the public through November 30th and we would love for you to stop by!
Open Hours:
Weekdays October 15th through November 30th: 10:00 to 5:00pm
Saturdays and Sundays through November 30th: 1:00 to 4:00pm
Hope to see you at the show!
Exhibit now open at Next American City
Image courtesy of Holly Bonacum
The exhibit opening was a huge success and it was wonderful to meet so many supporters of the site!
The show will be open to the public through November 30th and we would love for you to stop by!
Open Hours:
Saturday, October 13th: 1:00 to 2:30 (at 2:30, we will head over to Design VIADUCTgreene). Bring $2.00 or a bus token -We will take the bus half the way, then walk along the railroad corridor the the show.
Sunday, October 14th: 12:00 to 5:00
Weekdays October 15th through November 30th: 10:00 to 5:00
Saturdays and Sundays through November 30th: 1:00 to 4:00
Hope to see you at the show!
Please Support the above | below | beyond Kickstarter Campaign!
In order to raise awareness about the railroad corridor and our exhibition we are running a kickstarter campaign. Please watch the video, support the exhibition, and share with family and friends!
In loving memory of Stuart Appel
Hello Everyone,
I have just returned from the beautiful and tragic memorial service of Stuart Appel. Trying to summarize his incredible life and the love he had for his family, friends and colleagues would not be just. Although I knew him only briefly, I am thankful for his positivity and the support he has given.
In June, I contacted Stu about an exhibition of Temple and Penn designs. He had just completed the semester as a Professor of Temple’s Senior Landscape Architecture studio. Essentially our studios, without knowing, had designed the same space in Philadelphia, the railroad. He asked me questions about what my goals were for the show and without hesitation put me in contact with his former students Diana Fernandez and Amy Syverson.
This project would not have come to where we are (a few weeks from our opening) without Stuart. Diana and Amy had just begun working for his landscape architecture firm, wellsappel, in June. So for the past few months, Stuart always let us meet in the office conference room after work hours to organize the show. When Diana and Amy gave him updates about the exhibition, he expressed his enthusiasm for the progress.
Most of my understanding of Stuart came through my interactions with Diana and Amy. They have been wonderful partners in this project, always pushing us forward, even though they have intense but enjoyable new work lives. I can only imagine Stuart created a wonderful team of people who were always passionate even during challenging times.
The memorial service truly expressed the deep appreciation and compassion Stuart had for all the people in his life, creating beautiful spaces, and in return how deeply he will be missed. My condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and students.
Susan
a brave new ecology
Spontaneously propagating, self-pollinating, tough urban plants inhabit our most derelict landscapes – along roadsides and chain-link fences, between cracks of pavement, and within vacant lots, rubble dumps, and highway medians.
Remarkably these plants require no human assistance to assert and sustain themselves in these punishing, often volatile urban environments, while providing the same ecologically performative benefits of traditional landscape plants and street trees.
