Lin Shi DRC

NOT JUST A CAR PARK Rethinking surface parking in Zhengzhou

Lin Shi S3341134 RMIT University Masters Of Landscape Architecture | 2013

NOT JUST A CAR PARK Rethinking surface parking in Zhengzhou

Lin Shi S3341134 RMIT University Masters Of Landscape Architecture | 2013

Not just a car park Rethinking surface parking in Zhengzhou How can landscape architecture interventions transform parking spaces into multifunctional spaces that can respond to local context requirements?

2 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Abstract

In the past decade, thousands of acres were transformed into parking lots in China. As a result, some cities have more surface parking spaces than inhabitants (Noam, 2012). The primary aim of a parking lot is for parking vehicles, however at various times parking lots are empty, therefore large amounts of land are underutilised. This inquiry proposes that these spaces might become more than just empty spaces during particular times of the day.

This research aims to transform parking spaces into multifunctional spaces by considering and analysing the relationship between the existing transitory nature of car parks and other kinds of programs. This is explored through analysing local contexts and program preferences, and by combining these to produce a range of cross programming areas, these areas are then texted through design interventions.

This design approach creates multifunctional spaces which can accommodate car park and other programs. By considering temporary interventions which use reconfigurable layouts to test time scales, and permanent interventions to test spatial organisational patterns, the different propositions demonstrate how various programs could run on the site.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 3

Contents Abstract

3

Design research diagram

6

Introduction

______Research subject_ surface parking lot ______The development of parking lot ______Park(ing) day

The site

______City ______CBD

______Site

9 10 12

15 ___Land use analysis ___Connectivity analysis ___population forecast ___Traditional Chinese park space analysis

16 18 20 22

___General information ___The problem on the site ___Main user of the site

24 26 27

Temporary intervention

______Precedent ___The Porch plaza ___LQC project ______The use of parking spaces analysis ______Proposed program ___Public requirement analysis ___Proposed program list ___Tool kit ___Program happening period ___Program combinations ______Temporary intervention plan ______Projection

4 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

30 33 36 39 40 42 43 44 46 56

Permanent intervention

______Precedent: OMA The Parc de la Villette ______Proposed land use of the site ______New program (cross programming) list ______Six parts design test ___1. Cross programming A: parking + active leisure ___Precedent: Box Hill Gardens Multi Purpose Area ___2. Cross programming B: parking + active leisure + market ___Precedent: Asphalt spot ___3. Cross programming C: parking + market ___Precedent: Precedent: Pink Balls of Aires Libres ___4. Cross programming G + Cross programming F: parking + exhibition + community garden + market ___5. Cross programming C + cross programming E: parking + market + community garden ___6. Blurry boundary area: parking + community garden

Implementation

______Master plan ______Circulation analysis ______Timeline ______Hours of operation ______intervention for parking operation system ___Precedent: HERE balloons ___Proposed intervention on the site ______Projection

70 72 74 78 79 84 86 90 93 98 102 108

114 118 120 122 124 125 128

Conclusion

130

References

132

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 5

Design research diagram

Aim Multifunctional parking lot

* More experiences * More open spaces

Surface parking lot (site) * Always empty

* Underground parking around the site

* Potential unused parking spaces during one day

* The main user of the site * Transitory nature of parking space

Urban space

* Huge green space in CBD

Similar experiences traditional Chinese park

* The high development speed of CBD

Underdevelopment districts around the site

Population boom

1. Problem 6 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

2. Analysis

in

Permanent intervention master plan

Cross programming areas 1. Parking lot + Active leisure 2. Parking lot + Active leisure+ Market 3. Parking lot + Market 4. Parking lot + Market+ Community garden + Outdoor exhibition 5. Parking lot+ Community garden+ Market 6. Parking lot + Community garden

Inhabitants

* Requirements * Preferences

CBD Old town Neighbourhood city Active leisure

Proposed programs

Doing Taiji Dancing Playing ball game Skating Playing chess

Market Community gardens Outdoor exhibition (existing) Parking (existing)

Banded zoning idea * To have different experiences in a short distance * To maximum the interface of different program

The location of proposed programs happen on the site during one day

* Happening hours during one day * Tool kit (program requirements)

Temporary intervention

Parking hours operation system

3. Methods & outcome NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 7

1. Introduction ______Research subject_ surface parking lot _____The development of parking lot ______Park(ing) day

8 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Research subjects—surface parking lot

On-street parking On the basis of the style of parking area, there are two major types of parking: on street parking and off street parking. On-street parking means the area allotted for parking purpose at the sides of the roads. Off-street parking means a parking area is designed adjacent to the road or in a place or building which is not the part of the road. Off-street parking includes parking structures, surface parking lots, single-car garages and driveways.

http://www.constablesmobility.com/index.php?pid=975&cat=7

Off-street parking In the research, the subject is about surface parking lots which mean that the parking lots are not on the road, they may close to the road, market, office and shopping mall, etc. At the same time, they are not underground or vertical parking garage, they just on the ground with hard paving and little landscaping.

http://caperfrasers.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/safety-tips-for-women-2/

http://www.hispanavisionct.com/inner.php?id=13

In most metropolises surface parking lots are everywhere and serve as a cheap, convenient, direct, sedentary connection to most points in the city. However, they have many negative effects, for example, surface parking lots form empty spaces where no one wants to be, which reduces eyes on the street and the sense of personal safety, they also limit pedestrian access to destinations, what’s more, they are ugly and undesirable streetscape feature.

Surface parking lots are regarded as a kind of scar on the urban fabric, many people sick of them and want to remove them. However, it is impossible to get rid of all the surface parking lot, especially in developing countries where the amount of car is increasing rapidly.

Surface parking lots

http://www.motorauthority.com/image/100226004_parking-lot

http://www.projectsatwork.com/blog/

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 9

Development of parking lot

In the second half of the 20th century, parking lots became a common sight in the cities of the Western world. In the past decade, China and India have been catching up and transforming tens of thousands of acres into parking lots. In some cities, parking lots cover more than one-third of the metropolitan footprint, also in some American cities, there are more parking spaces than inhabitants (Noam, 2012).

City parking lots are perhaps the most disruptive and nonproductive component of our contemporary landscapes. In most cases, parking lots are large, open expanses of asphalt with minimal or nonexistent landscaping (Jeremy). Because of their inhabitability, parking lot environments discourage the social interaction so important to maintaining vibrant urban spaces.

Also, because parking lots are generally used only for automobile storage, they are mostly vacant during periods when parking demand is low. By and large, parking lots are lifeless places and a lot of people look at them as wasted urban space.

Parking lot of Disney World

http://ronsview.org/2012/01/08/design-and-culture-of-parking/

Surface parking lot in China

In front of train station 10 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

http://old.chinaparking.org/news2010/h150.htm

http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2005-10-25/03337254977s.shtml

In front of office building

The typical building block in China

Among the high density of buildings, it is hard to find public space, however, large ground spaces are remained for parking cars, at certain times, they just empty, it means this large land is underutilized.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 11

http://www.luuux.com/places/

http://www.graymatters.gatech.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/parking-day-5.jpeg

PARK(ing) Day

http://jalopnik.com/tag/parking-day

http://www.luuux.com/places/event-parking-day-worldwide-september-21

12 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

PARK(ing) Day, an activity first organized by the Rebar Group from San Francisco in 2005. the idea behind it was transforming gray infrastructure into temporary public green spaces originated from PARK(ing) Day. The motivation behind it was Rebar's desire to activate the parking space as "a site for creative experimentation, political and cultural expression, and unscripted social interaction (Josephine, 2012). In simple terms, in parking day, parking spaces are transformed into small parks or people spaces. They provide a temporary or permanent solution to paved surfaces by turning a single-use parking space into a multi-functional public area with amenities that might otherwise be unavailable. Such amenities often include benches, cafe tables, fountains, trees, planters, bike racks and public art, etc. The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat.

PARK(ing) Day

The idea behind parking day gives the initial motivation to this project. What if the surface parking lot did more than just provide a place to put car temporarily?

Because of their ubiquity, parking lots will continue to be built, however better design strategies can help integrate them into the built environment and improve the public realm. With purposeful design, Ben-Joseph argues, parking lots could be significant public places, contributing as much to their communities as great boulevards, parks, or plazas. For all the acreage they cover, parking lots have received scant attention. It’s time to change that; it’s time to rethink the lot. In fast-developing cities where the future of parking lots seems grim, Ben-Joseph still remains very optimistic about their fate. He believes that in densely populated countries, parking lots can become an integral part of the public street and a meeting place for inhabitants.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 13

2. The site ______City ______CBD ___Land use analysis ___Connectivity analysis ___population forecast ______Site ___General information ___The problem on the site ___Main user of the site

14 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Location & Introduction of the city The site is a big surface parking lot which locates in CBD of Zhengzhou, Henan province, People's Republic of China.

The location of Zhengzhou

City view

The center of old town

The center of new development district-- CBD

The location of CBD

source: http://www.zynews.com

The location of the site

Zhengzhou is the capital and largest city of Henan province in north-central China. A prefecture-level city, it also serves as the political, economic, technological, and educational centre of the province, as well as a major transportation hub for Central China. The city lies on the southern bank of the Yellow River, and is one of the Eight Great Ancient Capitals of China.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 15

CBD land use analysis A: Zhengzhou International Exhibition Centre

Convention

CBD (Central Business District), the core area of Zhengzhou New District, with a planning area of about 3.45 square kilometers, is a ring city composed of two rings of 60 high rises. Inside the ring-buildings are distributed three landmark buildings including Zhengzhou International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Henan Art Center and 280-meter-high Zhengzhou Exhibition Hotel.

N Site River Education space Commercial space Business space Residential space Green space Main road

attracting place bus station proposed underground train station

16 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

and

B: Henan Art Center

C: Zhengzhou Exhibition Hotel

D: Ruyi River

http://www.zynews.com

A D

B

C

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 17

Connectivity analysis | Regional scale

Kaifeng

The old town connects with neighbourhood cities by the high way and the train line. In the city planning which proposed by the local government, in the next fifteen years, Zhengzhou will have more connection and communication with its biggest neighbourhood city Kaifeng in terms of culture, education and economy, especially in the tourist industry.

CBD, where the site is located in, is as a center point to connect the old town and Kaifeng by a high way, what’s more, a new proposed train station has already built up in the earlier 2013, it is located in the east of the city and close to CBD. In the future, it is convenient for people from Kaifeng to come to Zhengzhou for travelling, living, working and etc.

B

A

Zhengzhou

N CBD Old town Neighbourhood city Train station Air port Train line High way

18 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Connectivity analysis | City scale CBD is located in the east of Zhengzhou, it is also the center of new development district.

Compared with the old town, CBD gets more proportion of green space and river, therefore the environment here is relatively better than that of the old town.

There is a proposed underground railway to connect the city from west to east, this underground railway will also go through CBD and the old town center. By then end of 2013, this underground railway will be built up and start to serve communities, it will be more convenient for people to travel from old town and CBD. Around the new development district, most of the land is underdeveloped with low rise buildings, therefore, this land is like a kind of ‘village’ in a city.

With the rapid development of the city, these areas will be occupied by high rise buildings and high density of population.

Because of better environment, CBD will become first destination for people from these areas and old town to escape the busy life and relax themselves. The increased population will give pressure to the public space in CBD.

N

Site Center of new development district Old town center Old town New development district Underdevelopment area Park River Train station Proposed underground railway NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 19

The development of CBD 2004

2006

2008

2010

2011

2012

......

2013

2020

?......

20 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

The population development in the new development district 2004

......

0.48 million

2010

......

0.79 million

2013

......

1.038 million

2020 1.51 million

The population quantity is growing quickly from 2004 , with the development of underdevelopment district around CBD, there will be a population boom in the future, at the same time, the good environment and broad services in CBD will attract more people to live, work or visit.

Therefore the population boom will give big pressures to the limited open space in CBD and more open spaces would be needed in the future.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 21

Traditional Chinese park spaces analysis

Renmin Park

Bishagang Park

This diagram shows the spaces in 3 main parks in Zheng Zhou and also parks in CBD. Compared to the park spaces in western cities where people could have activities on green spaces, in China, people are not allowed to step in the green space, at the same time, the pathways which through the green spaces are quite similar, therefore, people’s experiences and feelings in these parks are quite same.

The way to use green space

China

22 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Western countries

Zhijinshan Park

Green spaces in Melbourne

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 23

The site | General information

The site is an outdoor parking area of 45,000 square meters which can accommodate up to 1500 vehicles. The site is next to Zhengzhou International Convention and Exhibition Centre and 280-meter-high Zhengzhou Exhibition Hotel, also it faces to Ruyi River and Henan Art Center, what’s more, this big surface parking lot is surrounded by a great city view.

International Convention and Exhibition Centre Car Parking Lot

1500

Serve (mainly) International Convention and Exhibition Centre

This parking lot is called International Convention and Exhibition Center Car Parking lot and it mainly serves to the International Convention and Exhibition Center, also it is available for the whole society.

24 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

The existing situation on the site

* Hard paving * Almost no shade

The site in the CBD

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 25

The problem on the site Only when there is an exhibition or program host in the CBD, the site is fully used, most of the time, the site is empty or in the medium situation which means only small part of the parking lot is used for parking vehicles. This means large amount of land is wasted on the site.

Full

However, due to large parking space is still needed when there is a big program, it is impossible to get rid of the big surface parking lot. Therefore how to remain the function of parking, at the same time, take full advantage of unused parking space is the main task in the project.

Medium situation

Empty

26 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Main user

Audience

*The time of event is random *The amount of audience is huge *Almost all the parking space is occupied Exhibition& performance

Other programs host in CBD

Visitor Time to use Night the car park

CBD

Neighbourhood city

Old town

Weekday Daytime Night

*Visitor just occupy small part of parking space

Weekend

Daytime Night CBD

Neighbourhood city

*Parking space is almost empty in daytime of weekday

Weekend

Old town

The main user of the parking lot is the audience of exhibition, performance and other programs host in the CBD, and the visitor from the old town and neighbourhood city.

The amount of the audience is huge, therefore they occupy almost all the parking space, however, because the time of exhibition and other program is not fixed, the full situation on the parking lot is not fixed as well.

Compared with the amount of audience, the amount of the visitor from old town and neighbourhood city is much less, therefore they just occupy small part of parking space. At the same time, most visitors from neighbourhood city and the old town come to the CBD on the weekend, on the weekday, some visitor from the old town come to the CBD at night, therefore parking space is almost empty in the daytime of the weekday.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 27

Reason why people from surrounding building seldom use the parking lot

*Isolated by main road

Lack of traffic signals

m

140

Because there is lack of traffic signals on the road which in front of the site, it is hard for people to reach the site from buildings across the street or to the building across the street from the site. Therefore, few people in the building across the street use this parking lot.

Long distance to across

*Underground parking system around CBD Underground Site 15740

1500

2144

900

944 1500

382

1820 2948 1440 2846 2316

28 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

In the CBD or around it, there are several underground parking lots, the total amount of the parking space is 15740. These underground parking lots decrease people’s demand for parking on the site to a large extent.

3. Temporary intervention ______Precedent ___The Porch plaza ___LQC project ______The use of parking spaces analysis ______Proposed program ___Public requirement analysis ___Proposed program list ___Tool kit ___Program happening period ___Program combinations ______Temporary intervention plan & Projection

This part of research aims to solve the existing problem of the site, it will take consideration of the existing parking lot, by analysing and understanding the transitory nature of parking lot to fit different programs into temporary unused parking space. Programs which are selected at this part are responding to the local public current requirements. What’s more, the intervention which is proposed at this stage is based on the strategy ‘lighter, quicker, cheaper’, also the flexibility of the intervention could make the site become a flexible multifunctional space.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 29

Precedent | The Porch plaza Underutilised parking space

Public space

After one year development

34 parallel parking space

The Porch plaza opened in November 2011, replacing what was previously an underutilized parking lane. The large number of mass transit riders, pedestrians, and office workers near The Porch created high demand for public space in West Philadelphia. The Porch is within 1,200 feet of over 16,000 workers, including 4,300 federal employees across the street. The project was initiated by University City District, a non-profit created by area stakeholders to promote the district, and realized through collaboration between the public and private sector. The Porch is now an approximately 28,000 square feet plaza with movable tables, chairs, and umbrellas, and is hosts music performances, a weekly farmers’ market, and cultural events that draw neighbourhood workers, residents, students, and visitors to the space.

30 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

source: http://www.topboxdesign.com/

Precedent land use analysis Parking space

Green space

Public space

Before development

After development

Underutilised parking spaces are transformed into public space, therefore the amount of parking space decreases and at the same time, public space is bigger than before.

Public space analysis

After development, bigger public space is divided into a series of outdoor rooms, punctuated by trees and umbrellas to bring a sense of human scale to the large space. Movable tables and chairs would allow users maximum flexibility in choosing where to sit in relation to the space, other people and the sun.

Limited public space Before development

Movable tables chairs

Allow users maximum flexibility

Movable umbrellas a sense of human scale Plants

After development NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 31

Compare with site The Porch plaza

45 0

Site

100

135m

0

90

The Porch plaza

300m 200

The site

200m 300m

400m500m

400m

200m 300m

Site Surrounding parking lot Bus station Train station

Location

Surrounding parking lot

The Porch plaza

Site

Traffic interchange node

Future traffic interchange node

Within 400 walkable Beyond walkable distance distance

The Porch plaza Underutilised parking space

Public space

The Porch plaza gives the idea of using efficient way to transform underutilized space into public space, also ‘shelter’ could provide people a sense of human scale in a large space and moveable site furniture could provide people maximum flexibility.

Parking space could not be cut down at once

‘Shelter’

Sense of human scale

Moveable site furniture

Flexibility

Site Temporary unused parking space 32 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Public space Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper

experiement the space

Precedent | LQC or ‘Lighter Quicker Cheaper’

"LQC or “Lighter Quicker Cheaper.” LQC is a strategy coined by Eric Reynolds of the planning firm Urban Systems Management. LQC defines a method for rolling out fast, simple, and low-cost solutions in the built environment which will organically spawn permanent and more meaningful development. By planning and implementing a minimally viable, simple solution to public space, the stage is set for future evolutions of space that will be infinitely more complex and enjoyable

LQC projects quickly translate a community’s vision into reality and keep momentum moving. Ideas can be efficiently implemented, assessed, then tweaked and customized based upon a community’s response.

Although a lighter, quicker, cheaper approach is not for every situation, it can be a creative, locally-powered alternative to capital-heavy, topdown planning. Lighter, quicker, cheaper projects.

Transform underused spaces into exciting laboratories that citizens can start using right away and see evidence that change can happen.

Rrepresent an “action planning process” that builds a shared understanding of a place that goes far beyond the short term changes that are made.

Leverage local partnerships that have greater involvement by a community and results in more authentic places.

Encourage an iterative approach and an opportunity to experiment, assess, and evolve a community’s vision before launching into major construction and a long term process.

Employ a place-by-place strategy that, over time, can transform an entire city. With community buy-in, the LQC approach can be implemented across multiple scales to transform under-performing spaces throughout an entire city.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 33

LQC project | Times Square

Before

In 2009, the Department of Transportation, along with the Times Square Alliance closed several lanes of traffic ‘temporarily’ in the middle of Times Square. Following closure, a thin layer of paint and texture was applied to these areas where removable tables and chairs were placed. The concept was described to NYC public agencies and the public as a reversible “experiment.

Consequently, the space was widely lauded and used, and eventually made permanent by the Bloomberg administration.

The Broadway Overhaul 34 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

source: http://www.kpfk.org

LQC project | Pop—Up Park The Pop-Up Park at Pier 1 was a temporary, public open space installed in the summer of 2008. dlandstudio used the term Pop-Up Park in reference to retail practice of doing quick, high-impact installations for special events. Built for less than $3/square foot out of mostly donated materials, the park was the only public space in the city where all four waterfalls could be seen. The project brought excitement and good will to the site by prefiguring the future permanent Brooklyn Bridge Park.

source: http://www.dlandstudio.com NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 35

The use of parking lot analysis Foreign tourist

Old town tourist

Weekday

View: Architecture Water Night view Program: Exhibition Art performance Water curtain movie Entertainment: Wetland park 10:00AM--6:30PM Shopping Eating

Weekday

6:00PM--11:00PM

Workers

Weekday

View: Night view Program: Exhibition Art performance Water curtain movie Entertainment: Shopping Eating Park

work/eating

9:00AM—5:00PM

Other people

Weekday

10:00AM--4:00PM

Weekend

9:00AM--9:30PM

Weekend

10:00AM--11:00PM

Weekend

10:00AM—3:00PM

visit/investigate

Weekend

11:00AM--3:00PM

This diagram shows the parking time of different groups of user on weekday and weekend, also the preference parking positions of different groups of user are mapped on the site.

36 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 37

Empty parking space

The potential unused parking space at different times of a day

The potential unused parking space on weekday and weekend Weekday

Weekend

In the diagram of the potential unused parking space at different times of a day maps the position of unused parking space at different times of a day. The boundary of unused parking space is changing over time, also the boundary of unused parking space is different at the same time between weekday and weekend.

In the diagram of the potential unused parking space on weekday and weekend, it overlays unused parking space at different times on weekday and weekend separately.

The black line is the boundary of the overlapping portion, therefore, within the boundary of the black line, the space is least frequently used area.

In the diagram of potential usage sequence, three areas represent people’s first preference parking area, second area and the last chosen area respectively.

Weekday + Weekend

At this section, these diagrams show the transitory nature of car parking lot.

At various times, the parking situation is different. The amounts and position of required parking spaces are different which means at different times of a day, different amounts and position of parking space is unused.

Potential usage sequence 3

2

1 38 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Public current requirements

We old people like sitting on benches and playing chess.

We are looking for a place to do exercise.

We could sure like doing sports on lunch time.

We are looking for a space to taste local snack.

???

Nearby residents Neighbourhood city tourist

Nearby worker

CBD

What we need is a skating rink.

We are looking for a place to play basketball.

Neighbourhood city

Older town

What we need is a plaza for dancing.

We could sure like growing flowers to escape the busy life.

Nearby residents

Nearby residents Nearby residents

Old town tourist

The diagram of public current requirement is based on the research of people from different context scale. For example, residents from the CBD want a skating rink, people who work at the CBD prefer a space to play ball game at lunch time, tourist from the old want to find a space to growing flowers and close to nature and neighbourhood city tourist are looking for a space to taste local snack.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 39

Proposed program list

Doing Taiji

Playing ball game Doing sports

Dancing

Growing vegetable

Playing card/ chess

Market

Skating According to local context requirements, several programs are proposed on the site at this part, the proposed programs are doing Taiji, dancing, playing card and chess, skating, playing ball game, growing vegetable and market.

Doing Taiji

40 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Dancing

Skating

Market

Playing card

Vegetable growing

Program Requiremewnts Shelter

Soft roof

Boundary

Soil

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 41

Tool kit (Program requirements)

Shelter

Frame_ allow for vegetable growing

Fixed shelter

Movable shelter

Landscaping

Shade tree

Hedge

Site furniture (moveable) Planter

Bench

Table

Ping pang table

Basketball table

Badminton net

The tool kit is generated from program requirements. shelter could be classified into fixed shelter, moveable shelter and frame shelter which allow vegetable growing. Landscaping could be classified into shade trees which have similar function as shelter and hedge which could be set up as a boundary. Site furniture could be classified into planter which instead of soil and allow people growing flower and vegetable, bench, table, ping pang table, basketball table and badminton net.

All the street furniture is moveable to provide people maximum flexibility, also elements in this tool kit make the site has character of temporary public space. These elements are easy to be arranged on the site and would not change the appearance of the site to a great extent, therefore, it is like transform the site into temporary public space in a lighter and quicker way.

42 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Hedge and planter could as boundaries to separate people and cars

Program happening period

Weekday Market Skating Playing ball game Growing vegetable Playing card/chess Doing Taiji Dancing

0:00

07:00

08:00

09:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

18:00

19:00

20:00

21:00

22:00

23:00

Doing Taiji Dancing Playing card/chess Growing vegetable Playing ball game Skating Market

Weekend

This diagram shows the conventional happening period of the proposed programs, several programs such as dancing, doing Taiji have same happening period on weekday and weekend, the happening period of some programs such as market are quite different between weekday and weekend.

This diagram provides basic information of programs for the following steps which consider the combination of different programs.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 43

24:00

Program combinations Combination A

10:00-17:00

Planter 07:00-09:00 19:30-2130

Growing vegetable Dancing/ Doing Taiji

14:30-18:00

Skating

Combination B

19:00-23:00

Shelter--manmade material roof Table Bench

09:30-11:30 14:00-17:30

Market Playing cards/ chess

Combination C

10:00-17:00

Shelter--vegetable roof Table 07:00-09:00 19:30-2130

Bench Growing vegetable Dancing/ Doing Taiji

09:30-11:30 14:00-17:30

Playing cards/ chess

Combination D

07:00-09:00 19:30-2130

‘Shelter’—tree Table Bench 09:30-11:30 14:00-17:30

Dancing/ Doing Taiji Playing cards/ chess

Combination E

13:00-14:00 20:00-21:30

Planter Ball game equipment 16:30-18:00

Playing ball game Skating 44 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Combination F

10:00-17:00

Shelter--vegetable roof Table

09:30-11:30 14:00-17:30

Bench

Growing vegetable

19:00-23:00

Playing cards/ chess Market

Combination G

13:00-14:00 20:00-21:30

Planter Ball game equipment 10:00-17:00

Playing ball game Growing vegetable

Program combinations are considered the requirements and happening period of different programs. Programs in one combination have similar requirements, most of them have different happening period, some of them have similar happening period but they could share the same space. Therefore within one combination, programs could have dynamic shift between each other, these combinations could also make a space more flexible to running different program and make a space become a flexible multifunctional space.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 45

Zoning diagram

Cultural entertainment area Market area

Sports and recreation area

N

Natural element

Architecture

Attractive place

In the zoning diagram, the site is divided into three areas which are cultural entertainment area, market area and sports and recreation area. The west of the site is next to green space and river, it is a relatively quiet space, therefore it is suitable for cultural exchange and communication; the center of the site is close to the main entrance, it has potential to gather people and attract people’s attention, consequently the function of the central area could focus on market; the east of the site is the sports and recreation area, because it is near another main entrance, it is convenient for people to come here to do sports and have fun.

46 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Weekend

Weekday

By considering the existing parking situation on the site, the zoning idea is applied on the potential unused parking space on weekday and weekend respectively.

Between different zones are transition spaces, transition space is like supporting area which available to park extra cars attracted by the programs on the site. By doing this, different programs are introduced to the unused parking space to transform it into public space, also due to the moveable street furniture, the boundary of public space is flexible to adapt different situations on the site.

Potential unused parking space Transition area (available for extra car)

According to character of zones, different program combinations are put on the site.

G

G

In the cultural entertainment area, combinations which get quiet programs such as Taiji are put into, combinations which include doing sports could be arranged on the boundary of the zone to decrease the influence.

D C

C

In the market zone, because the market only runs at the evening of weekdays, therefore, in the day time on weekdays, other programs such as playing cards, growing vegetable would happen on this area. In the weekend when more people would come to the site, the whole market zone is remaining for running market.

B

F

G

E

D

G

A

D

C

A

In the sports and recreational area, combinations which include dancing, skating would be put on the site.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 47

Plan

0

20 10

Legend Fixed shelter

N

Vegetable shelter Shade tree Hedge

In the proposed plan, in order to provide relatively quiet and semiprivate space in the cultural entertainment area, more shade trees and hedges are planted; in the market area, fixed shelters provide suitable space for the market; spaces are more open in the sports and recreational area to make sure programs which proposed in this area could run normally.

Movable street furniture on the site

Movable shelter 48 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Movable planter

Movable bench

Movable table

Ping pang table

Basketball table

Badminton net

50m

Light and quicker way Carpark

Transitory multifunctional space Transform

Maximum flexibility

Sense of human scale

Moveable street furniture on the site

Trees & shelter

Movable shelter

Movable planter

Movable bench

Movable table

Ping pang table

Basketball table

Badminton net

In the proposed multifunctional space, fixed trees and shelters could provide a sense of human scale in this big space, at the same time, movable street furniture on the site provide people maximum flexibility, also they constitute reconfigurable layouts which allow various programs running according to different times. By arranging street furniture flexibly, the site could accommodate dynamic shifts between parking and other functional space.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 49

This diagram shows at different times of a day, how different programs running on the site.

Weekday

9:00 am

Doing Taiji

Skating

Growing vegetable

Dancing

Market

Playing ball game

Playing card/chess

Potential extra cars introduced by program

50 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

2:00 pm

Vegetable shelter Shade tree Planter Hedge

9:00 pm

Fixed shelter Moveable shelter

Basketball stand Badminton net Ping pang table Parking car NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 51

Weekend

9:00 am

52 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

2:00 pm

9:00 pm

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 53

Weekday

9:00 am

2:00 pm

9:00 pm

This diagram represents the relationships between parking spaces which are being used and other functional spaces. It also shows how the site has dynamic shifts between parking space and other functional space, and dynamic shifts between different programs.

54 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Weekend

9:00 am

2:00 pm

9:00 pm

Doing Taiji

Skating

Growing vegetable

Dancing

Market

Potential extra cars introduced by program

Playing ball game

Playing card/chess

The original parking cars before intervention NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 55

Projection | Cultural entertainment area | Weekday

9:00 am

2:00 pm

9:00 pm

56 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

0

5

15m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 57

Weekdend

9:00 am

2:00 pm

9:00 pm

58 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

0

5

15m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 59

Market area | Weekday

9:00 am

2:00 pm

9:00 pm

60 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

0

5

15m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 61

Weekdend

9:00 am

2:00 pm

9:00 pm

62 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

0

5

15m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 63

Sports and recreational area | Weekday

9:00 am

2:00 pm

9:00 pm

64 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

0

5

15m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 65

Weekdend

9:00 am

2:00 pm

9:00 pm

66 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

0

5

15m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 67

4. Permanent intervention ______Precedent: OMA The Parc de la Villette ______Proposed land use of the site ______New program (cross programming) list ______Six parts design test ___1. Cross programming A: parking + active leisure ___Precedent: Box Hill Gardens Multi Purpose Area ___2. Cross programming B: parking + active leisure + market ___Precedent: Asphalt spot ___3. Cross programming C: parking + market ___Precedent: Precedent: Pink Balls of Aires Libres ___4. Cross programming G + Cross programming F: parking + exhibition + community garden + market ___5. Cross programming C + cross programming E: parking + market + community garden ___6. Blurry boundary area: parking + community garden At this part, the project tries to challenge the conventional carpark and also the conventional park by making it fit in different programs to test how these programs inform what the carpark looks like and how they change the way people park their cars. The ambition of this part is to create a new destination or a new type of park in the city. This is explored through analysing qualities which different programs need, by bring the quality of different programs into the carpark to test how people parking their car and how people engage with the space.

68 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Temporary intervention | Programs fit into parking spaces

The existing carpark

Intervention on the carpark

Parking space after intervention

Programs introduced by intervention

Permanent intervention | Parking spaces fit into other program spaces

The existing carpark

Intervention on the carpark

Parking space after intervention

Programs introduced by intervention

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 69

Precedent | OMA The Parc de la Villette

The American skyscraper works as a Social Condenser: “A machine to generate and intensify desirable forms of human intercourse.”(Rem Koolhaas, 1994) This idea is translated into Parc de La Villette almost literally. Koolhaas aims at producing a Social Condenser by organizing the floor plan of the park basically as that of the section of a skyscraper. He describes it as “a catalog of 40 or 50 different activities, arranged like floors…

In this way we could realize the congestion or density of the skyscraper without referring to building or to architecture in any way.”(Rem Koolhaas, 1996)

Urban activities are unstable, uncertain, they overlap and mutate. Therefore to provide potential space for ever‐ changing and unprecedented activities Koolhaas strategy is to “combine architectural specificity with programmatic indeterminacy.”(Rem Koolhaas, 1995) By juxtaposing and superimposing different layers of the composition, programs exchange and extend creating a horizontal congestion.

source: http://cea-seminar.blogspot.com.au

70 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

The Parc de la Villette

In the Parc de la Villette, the banded zonings provide people different experiences when they walk through the park, this banded zonings also make two adjacent programs have maximum interface.

The site The existing experiences people have in the site

The multiple experiences people have in the proposed site

By utilising this idea into the site to arrange proposed programs in a banded way, people could have multiple experiences in horizontal way when they pass the site from one entrance to another, at the same time, the blurry boundaries provide opportunities to generate different cross programs.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 71

The logic of landuse The location of each program is generated according to the idea of banded zoning, as well as the analysis of existing context.

*Parking spaces are near the entrances and river

*Active leisure is close to residential area and office building

*Community gardens are near river and always towards the sunlight

*Market is at the center of the site and near the community garden

*The outdoor exhibition area is moved but kept the same amount of area and it is still connected with other outdoor exhibition area

72 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Proposed landuse

Parking space

Active leisure

Market

Urban farming

Outdoor exhibition

The landuse of the whole site is made by overlaying all the programs together, at the same time, several programs meet at same areas, therefore, they generate different types of cross programs and these meeting spaces become cross programming area.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 73

New program list and location This diagram shows different types of the cross programs which is generated by overlapping areas.

Cross programing A

Cross programing F

+ Parking space + Active leisure

Parking space Exhibition + Urban farming

Cross programing G

Cross programing B

Parking space + Market + Active leisure

Parking space + Exhibition + Market

Cross programing C

Parking space + Market

Cross programing D

Parking space + Exhibition

Cross programing E

Parking space + Urban farming

74 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Cross programing H

Active leisure + Market

Cross programing I

Market + Urban farming

Cross programing J

Exhibition + Urban farming

The proposed number of parking space According to parking lot design guideline in China (70,000+38,000m2 exhibition area)/100*0.2=216 60,000m2 convention area/100* 0.4=240

Criteria of the project: *Enough parking spaces *More cross programming area

456 parking spaces are needed on the site

It is easy to put 456 parking spaces in the proposed parking zone and there are still large amounts of empty spaces remained.

750 parking spaces

In order to achieve more cross programming area, the parking zone should be fill up be parking spaces, therefore 750 parking spaces are proposed to make parking space have more interactions with other programs.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 75

6 parts design In this part, 6 parts of the overlapping areas are picked and designed to test how parking lot could run with other programs at same spaces.

These six parts are chosen from cross programming which on the new program list and also relate to parking spaces.

Several cross programming are next to each other, therefore the meeting point will be picked up and tested.

76 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

1. Cross programming A: parking space + active leisure

2. Cross programming B: parking space + active leisure + market

4. Cross programming F + Cross programming G: parking space + exhibition + urban farming + market

3. Cross programming C: parking space + market

5. Cross programming C + Cross programming E: parking space + market + urban farming

6. Blurry boundary: parking space + urban farming

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 77

1. Cross programing A

Parking space

the location on the site

This part is cross programming of parking space and active leisure.

Because it is near the main entrance, basketball court, badminton court, as well as skating area are proposed to mainly serve the workers and residents who work or live in the surrounding buildings.

Plan

A

Basketball (badminton) court

78 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Platform for people sitting or car parking

Small blocks

0

2

4

6m

Precedent | Box Hill Gardens Multi Purpose Area by ASPECT Studios

Source: http://www.landezine.com/

ASPECT Studios creates an innovative space with a diverse array of recreation activities and events within the historic and well-loved gardens of Box Hill Gardens.

The site functions as both community space and courts for multiple sport and recreation activities. A dynamic and engaging super graphic defines the play areas and creates an iconic and playful destination for the growing community.

Using lines to define different program areas.

Different program lines overlay

Multi purpose area NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 79

Site | parking space + multiple sport area

*Parking space

5.5m

+

This area is multifunctional space of parking space, basketball court, and badminton court. Specific program line is the main tool to define the different programs.

At the same time, parking function and sport function will not disturb each other, if there are several cars parking at this area, people still have a half court to play.

28m

*Basketball court

+ 18m

*Badminton court

= Multi-purpose parking space

80 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Play on the half court

People usually prefer to put some small blocks on the ground to skate through, therefore, in the proposed cross programing area, small blocks are arranged along the edge of each parking space. When there is no car parking, this space could be used for skating.

Parking space

Skating area

source: http://tupian.baike.com/

Perspective view

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 81

Different scenarios on the site

Active leisure Playing basketball: weekday 13:00-14:00; 20:00-21:30 weekend 9:00-11:30; 15:00-21:30

Active leisure Playing basketball: weekday 13:00-14:00; 20:00-21:30 weekend 9:00-11:30; 15:00-21:30

82 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Parking space: weekday: after 18:30 weekend: all day

A’

A

Skating: weekday 16:30-18:00; 19:30-21:30; weekend 9:00-11:30; 14:30-18:00; 19:30-21:30

Parking space Parking space: weekday: all day weekend: all day

A-A’ section

0

1

2

3m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 83

2. Cross programing B Parking space

the location on the site

Plan

A’

0 84 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

2

4

6m

Perspective view

Market which could allow sellers to provide breakfast for people outside or inside the site

Space for people parking cars or playing gate ball

Shelter and trees provide shade for people who play card, chess or have market.

This part is cross programming of parking space, active leisure and market. According to the existing parking preference of local people, few cars will park here in the morning, however, the old like to play gate ball within this period, what’s more, this part is near the main entrance of the site, it is easy for old people who live nearby to reach, therefore in the daytime, this part is proposed to be an activity centre for senior citizens; at night, this part will become a night market.

Because this part is face to the main road, in the morning, small scale market will happen along the boundary of the site to provide breakfast to people both in the site and pass by driving cars.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 85

Precedent | Asphalt spot

Designed by Parisian architects R&Sie, Asphalt Spot was commissioned by the Art Front Gallery in the nearby town of Tokamashi as an exhibition venue with integrated visitor facilities and parking. Yet the architects treated the project as an art installation itself, designing a structure that mimics the bumpy terrain and merges seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.

The building straddles a steep incline between a road and the lower-lying fields, creating a new topography linking the two levels. The undulating surface is even criss-crossed by fences similar to those used to divide fields Beneath one corner of the car park is a 300sq m open sided exhibition hall, which is used as a venue for art exhibitions. The hall is punctuated by a forest of leaning concrete columns that hold up the car park above and which have been covered in canvas sleeves, as has the underside of the ceiling.

R&Sie’s architecture often appears to have emerged from the landscape, consisting of forms that appear to drift or which mutate and clone elements found nearby.

source: http://www.dezeen.com

86 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Asphalt spot

*Changed topography provides different spaces for different programs. *Raised topography hides cars from the pedestrian view. *Space *View

The site

*The raised shelter divides the space into open space and semi-open space. *from pedestrian view, parking spaces are hidden by the shelter.

The similar form of interventions

Multifunctional space Parking space

Gate ball space

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 87

Different scenarios on the site

Active leisure

Market

Playing card\chess; practicing calligraphy: weekday 9:30-11:30; 14:00-17:30 weekday 9:30-11:30; 14:00-17:30 Market: weekday 19:00-23:00 weekend 10:00-23:00

Active leisure

Market

Playing card\chess; practicing calligraphy: weekday 9:30-11:30; 14:00-17:30 weekday 9:30-11:30; 14:00-17:30 Market: weekday 19:00-23:00 weekend 10:00-23:00

88 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

A’

A

Parking space Parking space (weekday: after 6:30 weekend: after 5:30)

Market Market: weekday 07:00-09:00; 19:00-23:00 weekend 07:00-23:00

Market

Gateball: weekday 9:30-11:30; 14:00-17:30 weekday 9:30-11:30; 14:00-17:30

A-A’ section

Market: weekday 07:00-09:00; 19:00-23:00 weekend 07:00-23:00

0

1

2

3m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 89

3. Cross programing C

The third part is cross programming of parking space and market. The market could happen under the shelter which along the centre line, the inclined platform could be used for parking cars or stepping, sitting and lying by people, the bench along the boundary of the platform is designed for people to have snacks, chat or rest.

Parking space

the location on the site

Since this part is next to the urban farming area, in order to blur the boundary of different program zones, small planters are hanging from the top to give people the feeling of being in the community garden. What’s more, interventions which combine benches and planters are arranged on the parking space to make the parking space become a small rest area and a small community garden.

Plan Planter

90 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Platform

Perspective view

Shelter

Bench

Suspended planter

0

2

4

6m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 91

The logic to build parking & market cross programming space 1. The form of ‘market‘ area: Pedestrian market street with small central nodes.

2. Parking space + market area + bench

3. Rearrange parking spaces to park more cars

4. The final form of parking& cross programming area: Plants make cars have distance with sitting people

92 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Precedent | Pink Balls of Aires Libres - Montreal

Claude Cormier and Associates use 200,000 resin balls to create a canopy that stretches over 1 kilometre through Montreal. It is part of Aires Libres a summer-long celebration that has turned the street to a pedestrian-only mall of arts and culture.

The site Suspended planter *define the boundary of market area *extend the experience of being in the community garden

Community garden

The suspended balls *define the space *provide a sense of lively and welcoming

The hanging planters could be pulled down by people to grow flowers.

Planter intentions

source: http://dustyburrito.blogspot.com.au

source: http://www.independent.co.uk/

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 93

Different scenarios on the site

Urban Farming

Marke Urban Farming: weekday 10:00-17:00 weekend 9:00-17:00

Urban Farming

Parking space

Urban Farming: weekday 10:00-17:00 weekend 9:00-17:00

Marke

Parking space: be used exhibitio

94 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

A’

A

Market

et: weekday 19:00-23:00 weekend 10:00-23:00

Market

et: weekday 19:00-23:00 weekend 10:00-23:00 d in on day

A-A’ section

Parking space

Parking space: be used in exhibition day 0

2

4

6m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 95

Different scenarios on the site

Parking space Parking space: weekday: after 6:30 weekend: all day

Urban Farming Urban Farming: weekday 10:00-17:00 weekend 9:00-17:00

96 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

B

B’

0

0.5

2m

B-B’ section NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 97

4. Cross programing G + Cross programing F

This part is cross programming of parking space, outdoor exhibition area, community garden and market. Some interventions at this part could be used as vegetable& fruit market stall; some of them are designed as a combination of bench and planter. Parking spaces are arranged among this intervention, at the same time, temporary exhibition stands could be arranged on the space between these interventions.

Parking space

the location on the site

Plan

Planter

Bench

Parking space Vegetable &fruit stall

Shelter Community garden area

98 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

0

2

4

6m

The arrangement of temporary exhibition stand Size of conventional exhibition stand 3m 3m

6m

3m

6m

Temporary exhibition stand

6m

The standard exhibition stands could be put into the crossing programmin area

source: http://news.fire.hc360.com

Vegetable &fruit stall 12m

20m

source: http://www.pamsworld.at/?p=57

Perspective view

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 99

Different scenarios on the site

Urban Farming Urban Farming: weekday 10:00-17:00 weekend 9:00-17:00

Parking space Parking space: weekday: after 18:30 weekend: all day

Urban Farming

Par

Urban Farming: weekday 10:00-17:00 weekend 9:00-17:00

Urban Farming Urban Farming: weekday 10:00-17:00 weekend 9:00-17:00

100 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Parking space: all day available on exhibition day

A’

A

Market Market: weekend 10:00-23:00

Parking space Parking space: weekday: after 18:30 weekend: all day

Parking space

rking space: weekday: all day weekend: not available

Urban Farming: weekday 10:00-17:00 weekend 9:00-17:00

Exhibition Exhibition: According to schedules

A-A’ section

Parking space: all day available on exhibition day 0 0.5

1

2m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 101

5. Cross programing C +Cross programing E

This part is cross programming of parking space, urban farming and market. Retractable panels could act as shelter for people to sell or exchange the product they get in the urban farming area. When the penal is pulled down, people could park their car on the surface.

Parking space

the location on the site

The sunken square is prepared for the big outdoor exhibition, people could skate, dance or play Taiji when there is no exhibition.

Plan

The sunken square

Retractable Panel

Planting bed

0

3

6

9m

102 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

The arrangement of big temporary outdoor exhibition Size of conventional exhibition stand 3m 3m

3m 6m

6m 6m

43m

40m

Pedestrian flow

Perspective view

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 103

Different scenarios on the site

Urban Farming

Parking space

Urban Farming: weekday 10:00-17:00 weekend 9:00-17:00

Parking : weekday: be weekend: be

Urban Farming Urban Farming: weekday 10:00-17:00 weekend 9:00-17:00

104 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Parking space

Market

Market: weekday 19:00-23:00 weekend 10:00-23:00 Parking : weekday: after 6:30 weekend: after 5:30

A’

A

Exhibition

efore 4:30 efore 4:30

Exhibition: According to schedules

Active leisure Skating: weekday 16:30-18:00; 19:30-21:30; weekend 9:00-11:30; 14:30-18:00; 19:30-21:30

A-A’ section

Dancing: weekday 7:00-9:00; 19:30-21:30; weekend 7:00-9:00; 19:30-21:30

0

1

3

5m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 105

Different scenarios on the site

Market

Parking space

Market: weekday 19:00-23:00 weekend 10:00-23:00 Parking : weekday: after 6:30 weekend: after 5:30

106 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

B B’

C

C’

B-B’ section

C-C’ section 0

1

3

5m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 107

6. Blurry boundary

This part belongs to the community garden zoning and two sides of this area are next to parking area, in order to blur the boundary of different zonings, this part is proposed to be a cross programing area which concentrates on urban farming, in the meantime, it provides parking spaces which will not disturb the function of urban farming.

Parking space

the location on the site

Plan

Orchard

Pedestrian bridge

Mound

0 1 108 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

3

5m

The communication between urban farming and market area around the whole site

Around the whole site, markets are arranged next to the urban farming, it is convenient for people to sell or exchange their products of urban farming.

Market Urban farming

Perspective view

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 109

Scenarios on the site

Parking space Parking space: available all day

Urban Farming

Urban Farming: weekday 10:00-17:00 weekend 9:00-17:00

Urban Farming Urban Farming: weekday 10:00-17:00 weekend 9:00-17:00

110 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

B

C A’

C’ A

B’

A-A’ section

Parking space Parking space: available all day

B-B’ section

Parking space Parking space: available all day

C-C’ section

0

1

3

5m

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 111

5. Implementation ______Master plan ______Circulation analysis ______Timeline ______Hours of operation

______intervention for parking operation system ___Precedent: HERE balloons ___Proposed intervention on the site

______Projection

112 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

At this section, 6 testing parts will be combined together to generate the master plan. The proposed car park will form a new type of park, also timeline and location of different programs which happened on the site will be discussed, what’s more, parking hours operation system will be work out to make sure there is no conflict between parking and the other programs.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 113

Masterplan

Playground

The sunken square

Retractable Panel Planting bed

Shelter

N

0 5 10 15m 114 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Multi purpose sports area

Shelter

Bench& planter

Pedestrian bridge

Fruit tree

Planter Vegetable &fruit stall

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 115

Layer diagram

* Parking space

* Active leisure area

* Market area

* Community garden

* Outdoor exhibition area

116 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

* The existing parking space

* The proposed parking zones

* The proposed parking spaces

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 117

118 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

6mins walking distance

(

Pedestrian and vehicle

m

Pedestrian only

0 40

Proposed underground railway station

Existing bus station

40

Legend

Circulation diagram | CBD scale

in)

0m m (6

6m in)

Pedestrian and vehicle

Legend

Pedestrian only

Circulation diagram | Site scale

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 119

Timeline * Potential usage of parking space * Proposed program happen on the site * Existing site usage

8:00AM--10:00AM

10:00AM--4:00PM

Weekday 0:00

08:00

09:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

Weekend 8:00AM--10:00AM

120 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

10:00AM--11:00AM

11:00AM--3:00PM

15:00

16

6:00

This diagram shows the * conventional happening period of proposed program * the existing parking space usage situation during one day * the location of proposed programs happened on the site during one day * the location of potential used parking spaces on the site during one day

4:00PM--6:00PM

17:00

6:00PM--11:00PM

18:00

19:00

20:00

21:00

3:00PM--9:30PM

22:00

11:00PM--8:00AM

23:00

11:00PM--8:00AM

9:30PM--11:00PM

Legend

24:00

Doing Taiji

Workers nearby

Dancing Playing card/chess/gate ball

Old town tourist

Playing ball game

Foreign tourist

Skating Growing vegetable

Other people

Market

Being used parking spaces Unused parking spaces NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 121

Parking space: Hours of operation

The parking space operation hour is generated based on the analysis of conventional happening period of proposed program, the existing parking space usage situation during one day, the location of proposed program and potential used parking space on the site during one day to make sure there is no conflict between parking and other programs.

122 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Weekday

Available all day

6:30 pm-6:00 am

6:00 am- 4:30 pm

Not available

Weekend

Available all day

5:30 pm-6:00 am

6:00 am- 4:30 pm

Not available

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 123

Precedent | HERE balloons

In South Korea, an oil company has started a campaign to reduce parking search time. The HERE campaign states that South Korean drivers wander 500 meters everyday for parking spots; by cleverly installing a balloon that indicates exactly where open spots are, it reduces search time for drivers.

* The balloon helps drivers to find available parking spaces in an easier way.

* Balloon flutters in the sky The parking space is available

sourrce: http://freakonomics.com/2013/08/16/how-to-save-time-hunting-for-a-parking-spot-south-korea-edition/

124 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

* Balloon is pressed down by the car The parking space is not available

The site Because the parking spaces are arranged on several parts of the site and the operation time is different, in order to help drivers to find proper parking space, balloon interventions are installed on the every parking space to guide drivers.

3cm

0.5m

3cm

8cm 2.2m 2m

Details of the hole There are two holes on the ground of each parking space to tie the balloon. The size of the hole is small to make sure it will not influence people’s use of this space.

* One balloon on one parking space

* People could move the balloon and occupy this space

* Car is parked at this space and pushes down the balloon NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 125

Scenarios on the site with balloon

Weekday Weekend

Available all day

6:30 pm-6:00 am 5:30 pm-6:00 am

6:00 am- 4:30 pm

Different colours of balloons indicate the different parking hours of parking spaces

Fluttering balloons shows the location of available parking spaces.

People play basketball on half court.

Cars push down fluttering balloons on the ground.

In order to do sports on this area, People tie balloons to the other holes around the site.

People play basketball on the whole court.

126 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Parking space

Parking space

Market area

Parking space

By moving balloons to set up market shelters or exhibition stalls.

Community garden area (rest area)

Parking space

Community garden area (rest area)

People move balloons to have activities in this space as needed.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 127

Projection

128 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 129

6. Conclusion

130 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

Conclusion

My design research project investigates how surface parking spaces can be transformed into multifunctional spaces that can respond to local context requirements by landscape architecture interventions. Living in the city where is full of people and buildings, people urgently want to find more open spaces, however, huge open space is occupied by surface parking lot which not in using in particular times. It makes me to think can I as a landscape architect to make the surface parking lots to contribute more benefits to the whole society.

The inquiry of the project is to make multifunctional parking space, in order to make sure there are no conflicts between parking and other programs, the idea of ‘dynamic shift’ between programs are tested through time scale. In the process of testing, movable street furniture which could be reconfigured according to different time is proposed in temporary intervention; different cross programming typologies and parking hours operation system are generated in the permanent intervention.

Through this research project, it gives me the new understanding of ‘multifunctional space’, it provides a kind of solution to relieve the embarrassing situation between the underutilised parking space and limited open space, at the same time,I have learnt the important of time scale in the landscape architecture design.

This project displays the potential advantages that surface parking could contribute to add more open spaceS to the society, especially in China where is experiencing the high speed of development, more surface parking lots would be emerging in the future, in hope that through the intent of this project, could lead and transform the future parking lots as well as existing ones to become a new topology of park to serve the community.

Through this project, I believe that landscape architecture has the power to improve the quality of different spaces, under the situation of shortage of open space, the idea of ‘multifunctional space’ will be keep in mind in the future practice.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 131

7. Reference

132 | NOT JUST A CAR PARK

1. Kelly Shannon, 2010. The Landscape of Contemporary Infrastructure. Edition. nai010 publishers.

2. Eran Ben-Joseph, 2012. ReThinking a Lot: The Design and Culture of Parking. 1st ed., 1st Ptg Edition. The MIT Press.

3. Dvir, N, 2012. ‘The solution to urban blight: parking lots’. HAARETZ, <http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/thesolution-to-urban-blight-parking-lots-1.452542 >.

4. Fichter, J. ‘Parking Lot Parks’. <http://depts.washington.edu/open2100/pdf/2_OpenSpaceTypes/Open_Space_Types/parking_lot_parks.pdf >.

5. Arbaugh, J,V, 2012. ‘Parking spaces: More than a place to leave your car’, Roanoke Times & World News, <http://search. proquest.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/docview/992849883/13BF5983DA928B8E996/9?accountid=13552 >.

6. Crowley, M, 2009. ‘New York's biking space’, New York Magazine, < http://www.kpfk.org/programs/170-bike-talk/2402-new-yorks-biking-space-new-york-magazine.html>.

7. Project for Public Spaces, 2013. ‘Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper: A Low-Cost, High-Impact Approach’, Project for Public Spaces, <http://www.pps.org/reference/lighter-quicker-cheaper-a-low-cost-high-impact-approach/>.

8. Rem Koolhaas, 1998. Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. Edition. Monacelli Pr. 9. Tadao Ando, 2012. Tadao Ando: Conversations with Students. Edition. Princeton Architectural Press.

10. Rem Koolhaas, 1997. Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan. Edition. The Monacelli Press.

11. Dvir, N, 2012. ‘The solution to urban blight: parking lots’. HAARETZ, <http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/thesolution-to-urban-blight-parking-lots-1.452542 >.

12. Fichter, J. ‘Parking Lot Parks’. <http://depts.washington.edu/open2100/pdf/2_OpenSpaceTypes/Open_Space_Types/ parking_lot_parks.pdf >.

13. Arbaugh, J,V, 2012. ‘Parking spaces: More than a place to leave your car’, Roanoke Times & World News, <http://search. proquest.com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/docview/992849883/13BF5983DA928B8E996/9?accountid=13552 >.

14. Aspect studios, 2013, ‘Box Hill Gardens Multi Purpose Area’, Aspect studios, < http://aspect.net.au/?p=2730 >.

15. Landezine, 2009, ‘Asphalt spot by R&Sie’, Landezine, <http://www.landezine.com/index.php/2009/07/unusual-parking-asphalt-spot/ >.` 16. Ingram, A, 2013, ‘Korean Oil Company Helps Drivers Save Gas With...Parking Balloons?’, Green Car Reports, < http://www. greencarreports.com/news/1085980_korean-oil-company-helps-drivers-save-gas-with-parking-balloons>.

17. Grant, J, 2012, ‘OMA Versus Tschumi: The Parc de la Villette’, < http://cea-seminar.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/oma-versustschumi-parc-de-la-villette.html>.

NOT JUST A CAR PARK | 133