Solar technology for underground park in NYC

The design team has developed early images of what the future Lowline could look like. Design / Raad Studio

A group of inventors, designers, architects and game changers are moving forward with the idea of establishing the world's first underground park in New York City.

Co-founders James Ramsey and Dan Barasch want to find a way of making cities greener, more liveable and more beautiful, even when they're running short on space.

They came up with the plausible solution that new solar technology could be used to reflect and direct light underground, allowing the plants and trees to live, grow and prosper.

The space they have in mind is the former Williamsburg Bridge Trolley Terminal, which between 1908 and 1948 was used as a base for trams to carry passengers over the bridge that it takes its name from.

Since then, the underground area the size of a football field has remained untouched. With a significant portion of its original features effectively preserved - including cobblestones, rail lines and overhead catenaries - the terminal lies below New York's Lower East Side neighbourhood, which like much of the city is in major need of more green space.

The Lowline project embodies the dream of its supporters - to reclaim the terminal and make it into an underground park where people can hang out all year round.

Using up-to-the-minute solar technology, the team believe it would be possible to direct ample light underground to enable plants to grow and provide a centre of cultural enrichment for the neighbourhood above.

What's more, they believe this advancement could set a great example of the effective use of space and also be made use of throughout the world.

The group are currently crowdsourcing to enable the construction of the Lowline Lab - a microcosm of the Lowline idea, set up in an old warehouse they lease out. They will use this is an opportunity to display the feasibility of the project, and also to gauge public reactions.

You can read more about this fascinating venture on their Kickstarter Kickstarter page.

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