ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dan Barasch - Strategist
Dan Barasch’s grandmother grew up in New York’s Lower East Side. Now, he’s building an underground park in her old neighborhood, where greenspace is limited.

Why you should listen

Dan Barasch is the co-founder and executive director of the Lowline, an underground park that is being developed underneath the streets of New York City—in the Williamsburg Bridge Trolley Terminal. In use from 1908 to 1948, this terminal is now abandoned. The Lowline will be a one-acre park in a neighborhood where greenspace is hard to come by. The project uses innovative solar technology to capture light above ground and distribute it below, making it a space that can be used in all four seasons. Once a wild idea, the project got a big boost on Kickstarter, raising more than $155,000 for its development in 2012. The project promises to be the inverse of New York's High Line.

Barasch has long known that he wanted to make a difference, but for years, wasn't quite sure how to go about doing that. Before he left his job to work fultime on the Lowline, he led strategic partnerships at PopTech; held multiple roles at Google; and worked in small business development in New York City government. He also consulted for UNICEF in Nairobi and with the 9/11 Survivors’ Fund in Washington DC. He began his career at the World Affairs Council in San Francisco, co-producing the weekly NPR show “It’s Your World.”

More profile about the speaker
Dan Barasch | Speaker | TED.com
TED@NYC

Dan Barasch: A park underneath the hustle and bustle of New York City

丹·巴勒希: 繁忙紐約的地底公園

Filmed:
934,267 views

丹·巴勒希和詹姆斯·拉姆齊有個瘋狂計畫:他們要建造一座綠意盎然,且位在紐約地底下的的公園。他們因此利用 1948 年就廢棄的電車站打造出低線公園 (Lowline),這片地底的綠地跟就跟足球場一樣大。並透過收集地面上太陽能的技術,將太陽光導入至地底下,讓這個公園即使在冬天也能夠一直生氣盎然。
- Strategist
Dan Barasch’s grandmother grew up in New York’s Lower East Side. Now, he’s building an underground park in her old neighborhood, where greenspace is limited. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
My dream夢想 is to build建立 the world's世界 first
0
788
2182
我的夢想是在紐約建造
00:14
underground地下 park公園 in New York紐約 City.
1
2970
2324
世界上第一個地底公園。
00:17
Now, why would someone有人 want
to build建立 an underground地下 park公園,
2
5294
2547
那為什麼有人想要
打造地底公園?
00:19
and why in New York紐約 City?
3
7841
3197
而且為什麼在紐約?
00:23
These three tough強硬 little buggers壞蛋
4
11038
1524
這邊有三個小屁孩,
00:24
are, on the left, my grandmother祖母, age年齡 five,
5
12562
3216
左邊那位是我的奶奶,當時五歲,
00:27
and then her sister妹妹 and brother哥哥,
6
15778
1350
旁邊是她的姐姐和哥哥,
00:29
ages年齡 11 and nine.
7
17128
1538
分別是 11 歲和 9 歲。
00:30
This photo照片 was taken採取 just before they left
8
18666
2197
這張照片剛好在
他們離開義大利前,
準備移民到美國時拍下的,
00:32
from Italy意大利 to immigrate移民 to the United聯合的 States狀態,
9
20863
2608
00:35
just about a century世紀 ago.
10
23471
2511
大約是一百年前的事了。
00:37
And like many許多 immigrants移民 at the time,
11
25982
1395
跟同期的移民者一樣,
00:39
they arrived到達 on the Lower降低 East Side
12
27377
1713
他們都來到紐約的下東城。
00:41
in New York紐約 City
13
29090
1201
00:42
and they encountered遇到 a crazy melting融化 pot.
14
30291
2869
也遇到了瘋狂的種族大熔爐。
00:45
What was amazing驚人 about their generation
15
33160
1407
他們這世代最讓人驚豔的是,
00:46
was that they were not only building建造 new lives生活
16
34567
3060
他們不只是在這嶄新、生疏的地方
00:49
in this new, unfamiliar陌生 area,
17
37627
2123
建立起新的生活。
00:51
but they were also literally按照字面 building建造 the city.
18
39750
2596
而是真的建立起這座城市。
00:54
I've always been fascinated入迷 by those decades幾十年
19
42346
2133
我非常嚮往那段數十年的光陰
00:56
and by that history歷史,
20
44479
1320
以及那段歷史。
00:57
and I would often經常 beg my grandmother祖母
21
45799
2479
我也常常拜託我奶奶
01:00
to tell me as many許多 stories故事 as possible可能
22
48278
1669
告訴我越多舊紐約的故事越好。
01:01
about the old New York紐約.
23
49947
2008
01:03
But she would often經常 just shrug it off,
24
51955
2178
但她總是很淡定,
01:06
tell me to eat more meatballs肉丸, more pasta意大利面,
25
54133
2250
只告訴我多吃點肉球和義大利麵。
01:08
and so I very rarely很少 got
26
56383
1877
所以我很難得
01:10
any of the history歷史 that I wanted to hear about.
27
58260
3095
會得到我想要聽的歷史故事。
01:13
The New York紐約 City that I encountered遇到
28
61355
1261
我認識紐約的時候,
01:14
felt pretty漂亮 built內置 up.
29
62616
1898
紐約就已經差不多成形了。
01:16
I always knew知道 as a kid孩子 that I wanted
30
64514
2197
從小我就知道我想要
01:18
to make a difference區別, and to somehow不知何故
31
66711
1518
有所作為,甚至可以
01:20
make the world世界 more beautiful美麗, more interesting有趣
32
68229
2206
讓這個世界變成更美麗、更有趣、
01:22
and more just.
33
70435
1027
更公平的地方。
01:23
I just didn't really know how.
34
71462
1797
但我只是不知道該怎麼做。
01:25
At first, I thought I wanted to go work abroad國外,
35
73259
1688
一開始我以為自己想到國外工作,
01:26
so I took a job工作 with UNICEF聯合國兒童基金會 in Kenya肯尼亞.
36
74947
2419
所以我接下了
聯合國兒童基金會肯亞的工作。
01:29
But it felt weird奇怪的 to me that I knew知道 more about
37
77366
2115
但我覺得非常的奇怪,
因為我對肯亞當地的政治
01:31
local本地 Kenyan肯尼亞 politics政治 than the
politics政治 of my own擁有 hometown家鄉.
38
79481
3634
遠比自己家鄉的政治還要了解。
01:35
I took a job工作 with the City of New York紐約,
39
83115
2006
我之後得到紐約市政府的工作。
01:37
but very quickly很快 felt frustrated受挫
40
85121
2149
可是很快地我對政府的
01:39
with the slowness緩慢 of government政府 bureaucracy官僚.
41
87270
3038
官僚制度感到很挫敗。
01:42
I even took a job工作 at Google谷歌,
42
90308
1705
我甚至還在 Google 工作,
01:44
where very fast快速 I drank the Kool-Aid庫爾急救
43
92013
3097
很快地我就全盤通收,
01:47
and believed相信 almost幾乎 wholeheartedly竭誠
44
95110
1746
幾乎全心全意地深信
01:48
that technology技術 could solve解決 all social社會 problems問題.
45
96856
3618
科技可以解決所有的社會問題。
01:52
But I still didn't feel like I was
making製造 the world世界 a better place地點.
46
100474
3486
可是我卻不覺得我有
讓這個世界變得更好。
01:55
It was in 2009 that my friend朋友
47
103960
1859
2009 年時,我的朋友
01:57
and now business商業 partner夥伴 James詹姆士 Ramsey拉姆齊
48
105819
1968
兼我的合作夥伴詹姆斯·拉姆齊
01:59
alerted驚動 me to the location位置 of a pretty漂亮 spectacular壯觀 site現場,
49
107787
3094
讓我注意到一個很壯觀的地點,
02:02
which哪一個 is this.
50
110881
1450
就是這裡。
02:04
This is the former前任的 trolley手推車 terminal終奌站
51
112331
1835
這地方以前是電車站,
02:06
that was the depot倉庫 for passengers乘客
52
114166
2578
是乘客從布魯克林區經由
02:08
traveling旅行 over the Williamsburg威廉斯堡 Bridge
53
116744
1904
威廉斯堡橋到曼哈頓的
02:10
from Brooklyn布魯克林 to Manhattan曼哈頓,
54
118648
2284
火車站,
02:12
and it was open打開 between之間 1908 and 1948,
55
120932
2769
於 1908 年到 1948 年之間使用。
02:15
just around the time when my grandparents祖父母 were
56
123701
2442
那時我祖父母剛好
02:18
living活的 right in the area.
57
126143
1849
住在那個地區。
02:19
And we learned學到了 also that the site現場
58
127992
1648
我們也得知這個地方
02:21
was entirely完全 abandoned in 1948.
59
129640
3242
在 1948 年就已經完全廢棄。
02:24
Fascinated入迷 by this discovery發現,
60
132882
1923
因為對這個發現非常的著迷,
02:26
we begged the authorities當局 to draw us into the space空間,
61
134805
3128
我們請求當局讓我們看看這地方。
02:29
and we finally最後 got a tour遊覽,
62
137933
1507
我們終於能進去參觀,
02:31
and this is what we saw.
63
139440
2150
這就是我們所看到的景象。
02:33
Now, this photo照片 doesn't really do it justice正義.
64
141590
1710
但這張照片無法表達火車站全貌,
02:35
It's kind of hard to imagine想像 the unbelievably令人難以置信 magical神奇
65
143300
2660
很難憑空想像出,當你進到這個空間時
02:37
feeling感覺 that you have when you get in this space空間.
66
145960
2159
所體會到那無法言喻的魔幻力量,
02:40
It's a football足球 field領域 of unused沒用過 land土地
67
148119
3688
這區域就像沒人使用的足球場,
02:43
immediately立即 below下面 a very crowded area of the city,
68
151807
3403
就在城市中非常擁擠區域的正下方,
02:47
and it almost幾乎 feels感覺 like you're Indiana印地安那 Jones瓊斯
69
155210
2135
這地方讓人覺得你就是印第安那·瓊斯,
02:49
on an archaeological考古學的 dig,
70
157345
1715
正在做考古發掘。
02:51
and all the details細節 are all still there.
71
159060
1773
我們仍可以看到所有的細節,
02:52
It's really pretty漂亮 remarkable卓越.
72
160833
1968
這真的非常棒。
02:54
Now, the site現場 itself本身 is located位於 at the very heart
73
162801
2600
目前這個地方位在
下東城的心臟地帶。
02:57
of the Lower降低 East Side,
74
165401
1869
02:59
and today今天 it still remains遺跡 one of the most
75
167270
1496
現今仍是紐約市
03:00
crowded neighborhoods社區 in the city.
76
168766
1991
其中一個最擁擠的區域。
03:02
New York紐約 City has two thirds三分之二 the green綠色 space空間
77
170757
1800
紐約市跟其他大型城市一樣,
03:04
per resident居民 as other big cities城市,
78
172557
2048
每位居民擁有 2/3 的綠地,
03:06
and this neighborhood鄰里 as one tenth第十 the green綠色 space空間.
79
174605
3173
可是這個區域的人只有 1/10 的綠地。
03:09
So we immediately立即 started開始 thinking思維 about how we
80
177778
1823
所以我們馬上就開始想
要怎麼將這個地方轉變成
03:11
could take this site現場 and turn it into something
81
179601
2070
03:13
that could be used for the public上市,
82
181671
1387
大眾可以使用的地方,
03:15
but also could potentially可能 even be green綠色.
83
183058
2752
而且這地方還有綠化的可能性。
03:17
Our plan計劃, in a nutshell簡而言之,
84
185810
1330
簡單來說,我們的計劃
03:19
is to draw natural自然 sunlight陽光 underground地下
85
187140
2701
是要將自然的日光引入地底。
03:21
using運用 a simple簡單 system系統 that
harvests收成 sunlight陽光 above以上 the street,
86
189841
3103
運用一個簡單的系統
將街上的陽光儲存起來,
03:24
directs指導 it below下面 the city sidewalks人行道,
87
192944
2436
再將儲存的陽光
導入城市地底下的人行道,
03:27
and would allow允許 plants植物 and trees樹木 to grow增長
88
195380
1930
讓植物和樹木
透過導入地底的陽光得以成長茁壯。
03:29
with the light that's directed針對 underneath.
89
197310
2689
03:31
With this approach途徑, you could take a site現場
90
199999
1731
用這種方式,
我們可以把今天看起來像這樣的地方,
03:33
that looks容貌 like this today今天
91
201730
2211
03:35
and transform轉變 it into something
92
203941
1766
轉變成看起來像是
03:37
that looks容貌 like this.
93
205707
1966
這樣的地方。
03:39
In 2011, we first released發布 some of these images圖片,
94
207673
4031
2011 年,我們先發布一些圖片。
03:43
and what was funny滑稽 was,
95
211704
1389
有趣的是,
03:45
a lot of people said to us, "Oh, it kind of looks容貌
96
213093
2324
很多人跟我們說,這看起來
03:47
like the High Line underground地下."
97
215417
1936
很像地下版的「高線公園」(High Line)。
03:49
And so what our nickname暱稱 ended結束 up becoming變得,
98
217353
4320
所以我們公園的綽號最後
03:53
and what ended結束 up sticking癥結,
99
221673
1800
就叫做低線 (Lowline) 公園。
03:55
was the LowlineLOWLINE, so the LowlineLOWLINE was born天生.
100
223473
2846
並沿用至今,低線公園就誕生了。
03:58
What was also clear明確 was that people really wanted
101
226319
1677
我們也清楚地知道,大家真的很想
03:59
to know a lot more about how the technology技術
102
227996
1698
知道這個科技看起來
04:01
would look and feel,
103
229694
1566
跟摸起來的感受。
04:03
and that there was really much more interest利益 in this
104
231260
2133
而這所引來的注目
04:05
than we had ever thought possible可能.
105
233393
2095
超越我們的預期。
04:07
So, like a crazy person, I decided決定 to quit放棄 my job工作
106
235488
2239
所以我就像個瘋子,
決定辭掉工作,
04:09
and focus焦點 entirely完全 on this project項目.
107
237727
2194
全心全意專注在這個計劃上。
04:11
Here is us with our team球隊
108
239921
1822
我和我的組員
04:13
putting together一起 a technology技術 demonstration示範
109
241743
2408
在倉庫裡安排了
04:16
in a warehouse倉庫.
110
244151
2019
一個技術展示會。
04:18
Here's這裡的 the underbelly軟肋 of this solar太陽能 canopy華蓋
111
246170
3100
這是太陽能遮棚的下方。
04:21
which哪一個 we built內置 to show顯示 the technology技術.
112
249270
2329
我們在這展示新的技術。
04:23
You can see the six solar太陽能 collectors收藏家 at the center中央 there.
113
251599
2880
你們可以看到中間有六個太陽能收集器。
04:26
And here's這裡的 the full充分 exhibit展示 all put together一起
114
254479
2611
這是完全組裝完後在倉庫
04:29
in this warehouse倉庫.
115
257090
1451
所做的展示。
04:30
You can see the solar太陽能 canopy華蓋 overhead高架,
116
258541
1777
你們可以看到上方是太陽能遮棚,
04:32
the light streaming in,
117
260318
1416
陽光緩緩流入,
04:33
and this entirely完全 live生活 green綠色 space空間 below下面.
118
261734
2624
地底下就是生意盎然的綠地。
04:36
So in the course課程 of just a few少數 weeks,
119
264358
1426
這個展示才幾個禮拜而已,
04:37
tens of thousands數千 of people came來了 to see our exhibit展示,
120
265784
3569
就有數萬人參觀我們的展示會。
04:41
and since以來 that time, we've我們已經 grown長大的
121
269353
1457
從那時開始,
我們的支持人數向上攀升,
04:42
our numbers數字 of supporters支持者 both locally本地
122
270810
2301
有本地的支持者
04:45
and among其中 design設計 enthusiasts發燒友 all over the world世界.
123
273111
2712
和來自各地的設計同好。
04:47
Here's這裡的 a rendering翻譯 of the neighborhood鄰里
124
275823
2061
這圖片展示著低線公園
04:49
just immediately立即 above以上 the Line's線的 site現場,
125
277884
2366
正上方的區域。
04:52
and a rendering翻譯 of how it will look
126
280250
2134
這張圖片也展示著
04:54
after major重大的 redevelopment重建 that is coming未來
127
282384
2284
在未來十年的過程中,
04:56
over the course課程 of the next下一個 10 years年份.
128
284668
2003
將會有大型的重新發展計畫。
04:58
Notice注意 how crowded the neighborhood鄰里 still feels感覺
129
286671
2115
注意到這個街區是如此擁擠,
05:00
and how there's really a lack缺乏 of green綠色 space空間.
130
288786
1924
並且極度缺乏綠地。
05:02
So what we're proposing建議 is really something that will
131
290710
2720
所以我們的訴求只是
05:05
add one football足球 field領域 of green綠色 space空間
132
293430
3750
增加一個足球場大小的綠地,
05:09
underneath this neighborhood鄰里, but more importantly重要的
133
297180
2866
就建在這個區域的正下方。
更重要的是,將會在這都更過的地區
05:12
will introduce介紹 a really community-driven社區驅動 focus焦點
134
300046
2714
05:14
in a rapidly急速 gentrifyinggentrifying area.
135
302760
2183
推行以社區為導向的目標。
05:16
And right now, we're focusing調焦 very closely密切
136
304943
1744
目前,我們緊密地專注在
05:18
on how we engage從事 with the City of New York紐約
137
306687
2419
如何跟紐約市一同合作,
05:21
on really transforming轉型 the overall總體 ecosystem生態系統
138
309106
3443
真正地把整個生態系統
05:24
in an integrated集成 way.
139
312549
2081
轉變地更加完善。
05:26
Here's這裡的 our rendering翻譯 of how we would actually其實
140
314630
1609
在此呈現的是我們如何
05:28
invite邀請 people into the space空間 itself本身.
141
316239
2138
吸引大家到這個空間。
05:30
So here you see this iconic標誌性的 entrance入口
142
318377
2306
你們可以看到這代表性的入口,
05:32
in which哪一個 we would literally按照字面 peel up the street
143
320683
2172
看起來像是我們把街道給了剝起來,
05:34
and reveal揭示 the historical歷史的 layers of the city,
144
322855
3015
並展現出這個城市充滿歷史的一面,
05:37
and invite邀請 people into this warm underground地下 space空間.
145
325870
2905
也吸引大家進入這溫暖的地底空間。
05:40
In the middle中間 of winter冬季, when it's
absolutely絕對 freezing冷凍 outside,
146
328775
2259
在外面真的冷到不行的隆冬時,
05:43
the last place地點 you'd want to go would be
147
331034
1090
你最不想去的地方就是
05:44
an outdoor戶外 space空間 or outdoor戶外 park公園.
148
332124
2510
戶外的空間或公園了。
05:46
The LowlineLOWLINE would really be a four-season四季 space空間
149
334634
1925
低線公園就會是四季合宜的空間,
05:48
and a respite喘息 for the city.
150
336559
2486
讓城市得以喘息的地方。
05:51
So I like to think that the LowlineLOWLINE actually其實 brings帶來
151
339045
2318
我覺得低線公園真的
05:53
my own擁有 family's家庭的 story故事 full充分 circle.
152
341363
2621
讓我家族的故事更加完整。
05:55
If my grandparents祖父母 and my parents父母 were really
153
343984
1934
如果我的祖父母和我父母
05:57
focused重點 on building建造 the city up and out,
154
345918
3287
把目標在建立並擴大這個城市。
06:01
I think my generation is focused重點 on reclaiming回收
155
349205
2076
我想我們世代的目標就是
重新再利用我們已經擁有的土地,
06:03
the spaces空間 that we already已經 have,
156
351281
1908
06:05
rediscovering重新發現 our shared共享 history歷史,
157
353189
1957
再次找回我們一同擁有的歷史,
06:07
and reimaginingreimagining how we can make our communities社區
158
355146
2578
並且再次想像如何讓我們的社區
06:09
more interesting有趣, more beautiful美麗 and more just.
159
357724
3013
成為更有趣、更美好、更公平的地方。
06:12
Thanks謝謝.
160
360737
1969
謝謝。
06:14
(Applause掌聲)
161
362706
1731
(掌聲)
Translated by Hsun Ying Tsai
Reviewed by Adrienne Lin

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dan Barasch - Strategist
Dan Barasch’s grandmother grew up in New York’s Lower East Side. Now, he’s building an underground park in her old neighborhood, where greenspace is limited.

Why you should listen

Dan Barasch is the co-founder and executive director of the Lowline, an underground park that is being developed underneath the streets of New York City—in the Williamsburg Bridge Trolley Terminal. In use from 1908 to 1948, this terminal is now abandoned. The Lowline will be a one-acre park in a neighborhood where greenspace is hard to come by. The project uses innovative solar technology to capture light above ground and distribute it below, making it a space that can be used in all four seasons. Once a wild idea, the project got a big boost on Kickstarter, raising more than $155,000 for its development in 2012. The project promises to be the inverse of New York's High Line.

Barasch has long known that he wanted to make a difference, but for years, wasn't quite sure how to go about doing that. Before he left his job to work fultime on the Lowline, he led strategic partnerships at PopTech; held multiple roles at Google; and worked in small business development in New York City government. He also consulted for UNICEF in Nairobi and with the 9/11 Survivors’ Fund in Washington DC. He began his career at the World Affairs Council in San Francisco, co-producing the weekly NPR show “It’s Your World.”

More profile about the speaker
Dan Barasch | Speaker | TED.com