Parking Parks Plus
Competition: NA
Collaborator(s): Mona El Khafif
Location: Toronto, ON
Area: Varied
Term: Summer 2019
Competition: NA
Collaborator(s): Mona El Khafif
Location: Toronto, ON
Area: Varied
Term: Summer 2019
Toronto has approximately 400 high-rise projects under construction or in planning stages and is considered the fastest growing city in North America. The city currently offers an average of only 10.5 m2 of green space per person in the downtown area and is already ranked lowest in Canada. Once existing building permits are completed, this index will cut into half with no land available for future parkland.
The goals in the new strategic greenspace plan are important milestones, but the need for immediate open space and social infrastructure are a daily concern for an increasing population. Innovative short-term solutions on city owned land incorporating novel models of common spaces remain untapped opportunities. This project suggests to re-think the 240 city-owned parking lots equaling 6 times the size of Trinity Bellwood Park as time-based hybrid public spaces that can serve as parks, plazas, and parking lots as need be. Here, the challenge is not the design of these projects, but to initiate a process that builds an agency for local residents and community stakeholders, while supporting the city’s long-term goals.
Parking Parks Plus suggests a curatorial project that starts with an app to facilitate food truck events on parking lots serving residents and community stakeholders.
Over time city officials understand the value of htese partly underutilized lots. Community events intensify and material investments are incorporated step by step until the hybrid plaza proves to be more value than the monofunctional parking lot.
The goals in the new strategic greenspace plan are important milestones, but the need for immediate open space and social infrastructure are a daily concern for an increasing population. Innovative short-term solutions on city owned land incorporating novel models of common spaces remain untapped opportunities. This project suggests to re-think the 240 city-owned parking lots equaling 6 times the size of Trinity Bellwood Park as time-based hybrid public spaces that can serve as parks, plazas, and parking lots as need be. Here, the challenge is not the design of these projects, but to initiate a process that builds an agency for local residents and community stakeholders, while supporting the city’s long-term goals.
Parking Parks Plus suggests a curatorial project that starts with an app to facilitate food truck events on parking lots serving residents and community stakeholders.
Over time city officials understand the value of htese partly underutilized lots. Community events intensify and material investments are incorporated step by step until the hybrid plaza proves to be more value than the monofunctional parking lot.
