The Urbanist Liz Diller on how the High Line continues to evolve in New York
Nov 6, 2025
Liz Diller, co-founder of Diller, Scofidio + Renfro and the visionary behind New York's High Line, shares insights on the project's ongoing evolution and its impact on the surrounding neighborhood since COVID. She recounts the challenges of staging cultural events, like an opera on the High Line, and hints at future expansions. Sheena Rossiter discusses urban growth challenges in Canadian cities, highlighting the need for denser, mixed-use developments and effective policy changes to accommodate rising populations.
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Culture Reflects Broader Social Divides
- Diller expects any future cultural event to grapple with deeper social divides that have intensified since the first project.
- She anticipates the next iteration will be more political and reflective of national tensions.
Venice Canal Cafe Becomes Reality
- Diller pursued a Canal Cafe in Venice that filters canal water to serve espresso, a project revived years after initial attempts.
- After extensive engineering and health testing, the installation now serves safe drinking water and coffee.
Naivety Drives Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration
- Diller emphasises productive naivety: big, cross-disciplinary dreams force designers to collaborate widely with experts.
- Collaboration outside architecture fuels experimentation and unusual building outcomes.