Parking sans Car

Somedays it seems parking will take over the world - either in reality or in project programs. While a necessary evil the slow deterioration and need for automobiles (can we say $4.29 / gallon gas anyone?) will inevitably lead to chaos and anarchy (or, creative solutions). Imagine the group Rebar on steroids - with free reign not just to temporarily occupy parking spaces for open spaces periodically - but to remove them completely. As WAN reports: "Entrants to the Greening Bays design competition, introduced by Ramboll Whitbybird, were asked to “imagine if there were no cars in London – what would we do with all the parking spaces?” The resulting designs ranged from the masterful to the mad."

Here's some results... (all images via World Architecture News)

And my hands down favorite, after minutes of judging...

As mentioned via WAN: "While some chose to integrate the car theme into their small designs, others took an alternative approach creating explicitly separate designs illustrating the capacity for a fresh look on the city’s urban landscape. Think Tyres Tank merges the two approaches to the project in both title and design with a vibrant seating area constructed to mimic unravelling tyres; Draughts Game encourages the public to consider an ironic approach to roadworks as a parking slot is transformed into a draughts game composed of traffic cones; while Urban Tree Park considers the possibility of a functional space using natural materials to create a multi-level park complete with wind turbine and storage area."

This should be a required competition for all cities - and not just on September 19th... every day.