James Corner, whose firm Field Operations won a design competition last month to develop the 'Camden Highline' told a webinar: “We see this as a community project, distinctly of and for Camden Town. We recognise the capability of this long green thread to effectively connect different communities, places and people”.

He acknowledged that creating an urban walkway beside a working railway on a narrow structure is not without its complications. But he added that by introducing ‘textural planting’ the Highline can be “immersive, other worldly, tactile and alive with opportunities to watch the trains”.

The Camden Highline will run for 1.2km between Camden Road station and York Way near King’s Cross on an abandoned section of viaduct beside which trains continue to run.

James Corner's firm was also involved in developing the New York Highline, but he said the two projects are very different. “We foresee a very different highline in Camden to New York.”

“In New York there are massive buildings very close up to the highline structure itself and a series of magnificent views across Manhattan. Camden is very different: the buildings are lower and it feels a lot more enclosed.

“The fact that the Camden Highline is also a working railway (means it has) a very different character, so our design response is going to feel very different.”

He also spoke of the need for people on the street to see others up on the highline so that, out of curiosity, they will want to take a look.

James added that the presence of trains is unlikely to spoil the experience of walking the route, but be something “we should celebrate” because the trains are fairly infrequent, not too fast and offer something of a “charming, trundling quality”.

(Photograph: French + Tye)