The plaza: Parking/plaza techniques

New Urban News Technical Page by Andres Duany, Michael Morrissey, and Patrick Pinnell

There is a strong reflex for a designer simply to attach the label “parking lot” to an area and then to get on with the design of the building. In fact the necessary function of parking can be a resource for the creation of public space. Overcoming the simplistic conception of “a place for cars” is the critical first step towards techniques that emphasize the creation of a pedestrian-oriented space.

The necessary elements — lighting, pavement, sidewalks, plantings — and their placement should be directed towards that end. Secondary buildings, such as attendant booths, security kiosks, and shuttle shelters, can be placed to organize clear visual and pedestrian connections between plaza and surrounding buildings. Where the parking plaza cannot be fully defined by buildings, trees and street lights can provide the visual boundaries essential to the creation of a space.