This past Friday, September 21, 2012, was National PARK(ing) Day.
For the past three years, moss has hosted a PARK(ing) Day installation, reclaiming a metered parking space by turning it into a temporary public park. With the help of a steady stream of quarters, live music and delicious goods from Southport Grocery, we joined in with people around the globe in celebrating the myriad uses of public land beyond the parking of a vehicle. Check out our recaps of PARK(ing) Day 2009, 2010 and 2011.
This year, since moss has gone a step further, collaborating with Studio Murmur to turn two spaces in Andersonville into a full fledged, seasonal parklet, we’re featuring a short round-up of PARK(ing) Day news all over the world in honor of this awesome annual event.
This incredible map shows where PARK(ing) Day took place last Friday. Since, 2005, when design studio Rebar launched the first PARK(ing) Day in San Francisco, the idea has really taken off, spreading all the way to Oslo and Queenstown, NZ.
View Park(ing) Day 2012 Zürich in a larger map
Speaking of the birthplace of parklets, here is SF Curbed’s gallery of their favorite installations in San Francisco.
Above, see this super creative use of a parking space by the
Inhabitat compiled a nationwide photo gallery of the best pop-up parks here, including that of fellow Chicagoans, Urban Habitat Chicago.
In Jakarta, PARK(ing) Day wasn’t just about expanding public space, it was about protecting pedestrian space from being encroached upon. Increasing numbers of cars are parking in entrance ways and on sidewalks, inspiring urban activists to participate.
We love the striking impact of PARK(ing) Day Budapest’s poster design. By the way, ”ÉLJENEK A KÖZTEREK!” means ”long live the spaces!”, according to google translate. We agree!
There’s a great catalogue of worldwide installations on PARK(ing) Day Chile‘s Facebook.
For more in-depth and philosophical information, download the PARK(ing) Day manifesto. Or download the manual (same page) to host one in your hometown!