New York City To Build The World’s First Underground Park

Parks are typically associated with tons of sunlight and large, open spaces. But, what if I told you this kind of “outdoor” space could exist — underground? Because that’s exactly what The Lowline Project is aiming to create.

The world’s first underground park will be located under the Lower East Side of Manhattan and was just recently given the go-ahead from the city. Using a system of mirrors to channel the sunlight down from up above, the park is to have plenty of sunlight to grow plants. Not only that, it will also serve as a warm place for New York dwellers to enjoy “the outdoors” once winter weather sets in.

The space was used for a trolley system in the early 2oth century. And come 2020, it will serve as a multi-purpose space for events, meditation and more.

The Lowline will cover one acre and feature tons of natural wildlife. This includes edible plants, such as pineapples and strawberries, all grown under layers and layers of concrete.

According to Bloomberg, there won’t be any artificial light within the park, which will take an estimated $55 million to build. “Light is piped into the plumbing system through mirrored collectors, which focus the sunlight into a concentrated beam that’s 30 times brighter than ambient sunlight. The Lowline itself will use more that 100 of these collectors,” the publication reports.

If you already can’t get enough of the idea of having a park beneath your feet, then head on over to The Lowline Lab location, where they’re spreading awareness about the project and showing how it will all work. Because 2020’s a long time to wait for something this cool.

[h/t: Insider]