When the famed Italian architect Renzo Piano was named honorary Senator-For-Life in 2013, he handed over his spacious new office and hefty salary of some $15,000 a month to a team of young architects. They were given the task of helping salvage depressed outskirts of Italian cities.
One project was inspired by New York City's High Line — the beloved public park built on a derelict rail line elevated above the streets of Manhattan.
Source: http://www.npr.org/