TRACK 1, DAY 1
KEYNOTE: Reclaiming Transportation Corridors as Performative Landscapes – Stormwater Management in Linear Parks: Lessons from Case Studies
Isabel Castilla, Field Operations
Tuesday, March 31, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. | Hall A
ABSTRACT
This talk examines integrated approaches to stormwater management and green infrastructure in the design of linear parks that reclaim transportation corridors as high-performing public landscapes.
Through case studies of the High Line in New York City, the Underline in Miami, and the Bentway in Toronto, the presentation explores how landscape architecture can embed hydrologic function into adaptive reuse projects at multiple scales.
The High Line illustrates the early integration of green roof technologies and naturalistic planting systems within a repurposed elevated rail corridor. The Underline demonstrates how a 10-mile stretch of underutilized land beneath an active transit line can be transformed into a linear park and ecological corridor where integrated stormwater management systems support and frame active recreation spaces.
Learn how lessons learned from these projects are informing the ongoing the design of the second phase of the Bentway, an innovative public space located beneath the Gardiner Expressway.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Isabel Castilla, Field Operations
Isabel Castilla is an associate partner at Field Operations, where she specializes in leading the design of large-scale, transformative public realm projects that involve extensive stakeholder engagement and complex multi-agency approvals.
Educated in both architecture and landscape architecture, Isabel approaches each project through multidisciplinary lens, combining creative design with a strong focus on detail and technical execution.
At Field Operations, Isabel has dedicated almost 20 years to overseeing large-scale public realm projects including several portions of New York’s High Line; the vision plan for the renovation of Manhattan’s iconic Fifth Avenue; the framework plan and implementation of The Underline in Miami, and most recently the design for The Bentway’s second phase- Bentway Islands in Toronto. Isabel also serves as a Landscape Architecture Commissioner for New York City’s Public Design Commission.
Isabel holds Master of Landscape Architecture and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Puerto Rico. She also frequently lectures at universities and design symposiums, sharing insights on public-realm design, urban landscapes, and the intersection of infrastructure and public space.