300 YEARS AGO, THE HIGH LINE WAS USED TO TRANSPORT COW CARCASSES.
In the past, the highline has served as a consumption-centered space.
Its original legacy lies in the transportation of meat (specifically
beef) and other goods throughout downtown Manhattan, hence its position
in the meatpacking district. Originally, it was also created as a
solution to the dangerous trains that ran in the streets alongside
pedestrians. The presence of these street-level trains earned the area
the nickname of “death avenue”. Although it was repurposed into a public
park after years of falling into disrepair (and being redefined as a
space for counter-culture to thrive), it remains a consumption-centered
space. The visitors are primarily tourists walking overhead big-name
brands and alongside expensive, modern apartment complexes and offices.
Nature began taking back what was rightfully hers. What was once used to
transport the lifeless bodies of our beloved cows, began to be a home to
the generations of cows after.
NOW THE FUTURE OVERCOMES THE PAST.
Mother nature is healing and the cows are beginning to coexist in
abundance with humans. As native flora begin to overtake the structure
that was once the highline, we view our cow friends with gratitude and
awe. As the sea levels rise, we are forced into closer quarters with each
other on the highline, grateful that it remains above water.
Much of New York is completely submerged under water. As the highline is an elevated structure, it has survived the rising sea levels thus far. In our future, we are hoping to learn from the consumerist mistakes we made in the past that landed us in this watery predicament. Now we are appreciating the flora and fauna around us and trying not to take as much from what limited resources we now have on land.
We are using bio yarn to construct the garments worn by humans in this
future. Although we have yet to produce a successful prototype, we know it
is important to utilize the materials of our surroundings. Thus, we are
using spirulina seaweed as the base of the yarn in our clothing. Because
we are surrounded on all sides by water, we want to be sustainable and use
materials easily sourced from the environment around us. Because the
spirulina naturally dyes everything a greenish teal, that is the baseline
of our design aspects.