Exclusionary Architecture: The High Line

An interesting topic this week in class was how a built environment can be defined as being racist or classist. The article entitled, “Racism in Three Dimensions: South African Architecture and the Ideology of White Superiority,” explained how the South African architecture of the land that has been built during years and years of colonialism still reinforces racist ideals. The designed space is known as exclusionary architecture and is purposely made to limit interactions between races. To do this, they use high walls, razor wire and purposely discourage house visits.

The idea of exclusionary architecture is continued into modern day design schemes in America and reflect an era where civil rights were not given in abundance. Another article that highlights this is written by Sarah Schindler and talks about how racism can be instilled through the physical design of a built environment. Several points in the article lead to the issue of gentrification or towns that get divided by highway placement in typically black areas. The author believes that the issues that institute these decisions is when planners choose focus on pedestrian flow and civil engineering rather than equal access for all.

Robert Moses would be a good example of someone who used these exclusionary tactics when building up New York City in the mid-20^th century. He had big ideas of grandeur when planning the city that lead to black neighborhoods being split in half by major highway systems and train tracks. While these highways and tracks were built to exclude those below and between, there is new life being breathed into them within the last few years. Literally.

The High Line https://i.ytimg.com/vi/m-X5wYdqW6s/maxresdefault.jpg

In order to combat the decaying highway systems and abandoned railroad tracks that bring down property value in New York City neighborhoods, a renewal movement decided to transform the spaces. The high line runs through public housing but has transformed into a middle-class oasis. While the thought behind the transformation was to bring the community together, they still struggle with inclusion with the project due to the lack of input from residents nearby.

The High Line http://tonysimone.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Abington-House-High-Line.png

If the built environment isn’t built with race in mind, it is built with class or gender in mind. The exclusion process still takes place even with the renewed effort to prevent it and maintain equity in an area.

For a more in-depth look on the discussion of the High Line, https://www.villagevoice.com/2017/05/03/how-the-high-line-changed-nyc/

To read the article by Sarah Schindler on this topic, exclusionary architecture, https://www.yalelawjournal.org/article/architectural-exclusion