IN-PERSON Manchester Livable Cities

The adaptive reuse of obsolete industrial infrastructure has become a hallmark of post-industrial urban regeneration, often celebrated as a strategy for creating “livable” cities. Among these projects, the High Line stands out not as the first, but as the most globally influential example. While the Promenade Plantée (1993) pioneered the concept of an elevated linear park, the High Line (2009–2014) transformed it into a widely replicated urban model. Subsequent projects—including Chicago’s 606 Trail (2015) and Seoul’s Seoullo 7017 (2017)—demonstrate how the High Line circulates globally as a template for post-industrial regeneration. This paper critically examines the High Line as both a public amenity and a vehicle of urban spectacle, exploring its design, branding, and integration with adjacent luxury development. While the park provides high-quality green space and recreational infrastructure, it has also contributed to gentrification, rising property values, and the exclusion of historically marginalized communities. Drawing on theories of the right to the city (Lefebvre), urban inequality (Harvey), and urban spectacle (Debord), the paper situates the High Line within broader debates on livable cities, equity, and the global circulation of urban models. By connecting the High Line to Manchester’s post-industrial regeneration context, the paper explores how flagship urban projects can simultaneously enhance urban life and reproduce social inequalities. It argues that understanding the High Line Effect is crucial for designing post-industrial cities that are both innovative and socially equitable.