Parking for the people: new car parks

Whether the car is a symbol of personal liberation, or merely a necessary evil, is open to debate. However, car parks have recently become urban and architectural landmarks, and in some cases even existentially essential for nearby communities.

Take Benthem Crouwel’s RAI Car Park, which serves Amsterdam’s main convention centre. The building is comprised of a simple cube with two sculptural, monumental helical ramps – one for going up, the other for going down. Locals can park their cars in the facility on days without events, and the building’s double-height ground floor can be used as additional exhibition and convention space if needed.

For Miami’s Faena Forum, a cultural complex spanning multiple city blocks, OMA also designed a new car park. Partly underground, the automated car park reveals itself as a crystalline prism clad in white perforated concrete panels. The ground floor of Faena Park consists of retail space, while the upper floor can be used for cultural events. The car park’s valet-operated lift sits behind a glazed front, while the cars themselves can be stacked on top of one another, increasing its capacity as well as its drama.

If Faena Park creates a cohesive whole with its surroundings, Brooks + Scarpa’s Angle Lake Transit Station and Plaza near Seattle stands out with its undulating blue facade. This sculptural car park can accommodate 1,150 vehicles and also includes retail space with bicycle storage. The blue mullions that cover the building extend outwards toward a light rail station, creating a small plaza that becomes a focal point for this transit hub.

Lastly, Underground Parking Katwijk aan Zee on the Dutch coast performs a vital function by hiding beneath the surface. Designed by engineering giant Royal HaskoningDHV and OKRA Landscape Architects, this car park forms a key part of the country’s sea defences by strengthening the coast without disrupting the natural dune landscape above. Having won numerous awards, this car park is a masterclass in creating vital infrastructure within a much-cherished natural and recreational area.

© Architonic