PARK(ing) Day Parklet
WHAT
Interactive, Temporary, Urban Intervention
WHERE
Oakland, CA
PARK(ing) Day is an international annual event in which activists and citizens transform metered parking spaces into temporary public parks and other social spaces. PARK(ing) Day was invented in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio, to encourage people to rethink the way streets are used.
As an effort for PARK(ing) Day 2018, Edgardo guided volunteer teams from Lowney Architecture and Urban Planning Partners, decided on making an intervention that provided pause for local business, from the heavy adjacent traffic, by using a common waste in the Architecture/Construction business, cardboard tubes. By cutting these into smaller dimensions, stacking them and providing various sitting options and planters, we were able to provide a breath of fresh air and a social node for local interactions.
We not only thought to provide a space for respite, but also to listen to the local community. So, we provided the means for the city to give us feedback on making a Modern Oakland, while adding some playfulness to the landscape.