The World's 10 Greatest Parking Garages
There is a freedom from the shackles of habitable design that allows car parks to become so much more than their functional requirement. It allows creativity to flourish and grow into an artistic statement, transforming the urban environment and creating character where there often is none.
For us, these are the world’s best. Car Parks that elevate the functional to something else entirely. You might even find yourself driving to them, not park up and visit something nearby, but to view the car park itself.
Name Q Park Charles Street Car Park
Location Sheffield, England
Architect Allies and Morrison
Facade Material Folded Aluminum
Why we like it
It’s been dubbed the ‘cheese grater’ and was voted as the UK’s most unusual car park by hiyacar (car sharing platform). Folded, anodized aluminum panels are formed as a square, with two triangular sides. The four different orientations are then used to produce a changing pattern of light reflection. From the exterior, it glistens, while the interior is brightened not only by light coming through the gaps, but also the reflected brilliance of the lime color used on the internal side of the aluminum panels.
Name Ballet Valet Parking Garage, Miami
Location Miami, Florida
Architect Arquitetconica
Facade Material Nature
Why we like it
650 vehicles are cleverly hidden behind a facade consisting of 3 different types of plants. Each a slightly different shade of green, they mimic the wave pattern of the nearby ocean. It’s a stunning example of how nature can be used to turn otherwise drab concrete into something different. The plants mask the sound of cars, hide them from sight and attract birdlife. We also like it because it reminds of Highbrook Building 6 Car Park, which uses the creeping growth of plants to add life and movement to the Auckland Car Park.
Name Kansas City Library Car Park
Location Kansas, Missouri
Architect HOK
Facade Material Concrete and aluminum overlaid with polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
Why we like it
Books 8 meters high and 3 meters wide hide the car park of the Kansas City Library. The titles, chosen by Kansas City residents, create an oversized book shelf and the possibly the most distinctive car park design in the world. It’s certainly striking and new visitors would never guess they hide in a car park, proving…you should never judge a book by its cover.
Name Lego Parking House
Location Billund, Denmark
Architect CEBRA
Facade Material Perforated Aluminum
Why we like it
It’s not just that the perforated aluminum looks great, resembling the original LEGO City road patterns on a large scale. It’s that the smallest perforations have been made to a 1:1 scale with LEGO building blocks, so you can actually walk up to the facade and attach bricks to the building. It’s a playful way to make a facade which inhibits the very nature of the company that uses it.
Name Cliniques Universitaires
Location Saint Luc, Brussels
Architect Modulo Architects, de Jong Gortemaker Algra Architects
Facade Material Hardwood Slats
Why we like it
The topography of the local environment is reflected in a design which uses hardwood slats to create a remarkable aesthetic. The car park is open and airy, with an abundance of natural light. It succeeds in hiding the function of the building despite being able to see the parked cars. Our only criticism is we would have used aluminum with a wood grain powder coat, offering the same aesthetic with an enduring finish that requires less maintenance.
Name Stadberget
Location Sweden
Architect White Arkitekter
Facade Material Larch Battens
Why we like it
A car park that’s also a ski slope in winter? It’s a novel idea and would certainly assist parents. Imagine being able to head to the shops and leaving the youngsters to enjoy themselves on the slopes, as you pick up seasonal gifts for the family. The facade itself, enclosed in larch battens, is warm and welcoming, the use of wood representing the forestry industry heritage of the immediate area.
Name AZ Sint-Lucas
Location Ghent, Belgium
Architect Abscis Architecten
Facade Material Perforated Aluminum
Why we like it
The scale of this car park is somehow made softer and less overbearing by the curves and perforated aluminum. The patterned facade holds your interest from afar, making you want to edge closer so you can work out exactly what the pattern is, trying to spot the point of repetition. Simple, yes. Effective, absolutely.
Name Victoria Gate
Location Leeds, England
Architect RIBA
Facade Material Twisted aluminum fins
Why we like it
It’s how those wonderful twisted fins are used to mirror the diamond shaped cladding of the adjoining shopping center. They can be seen in different sizes, from different angles, all the while sparking and shifting as you walk past. The visual trickery is mesmerizing and hides the functional nature of the building so very well.
Name Veranda Car Park
Location Rotterdam, Netherlands
Architect Paul de Ruiter Architects
Facade Material Aluminum
Why we like it
A design that proves simplicity is visually effective but also laden with complexity. From the exterior, the Verandah car park is full of clean lines that carry an element of prestige. They have a presence. The facade itself is more complicated, balancing horizontal aluminum strips with narrow glazing. The aluminum strips are then perforated to allow further light penetration into the car park, acting as a diffuse screen and allowing natural ventilation.
Name Les Mills Parking Garage
Location Auckland, New Zealand
Architect Warren & Mahoney
Facade Material Perforated Aluminum
Why we like it
It’s not because this is one of ours, it’s more so how it twinkles at night. The three dimensional diamond pattern is perforated and interspersed with bronze tinted vision panels. It looks different from every angle, always offering something new visually as you walk or drive past. As night descends, the facade sparkles and adds a magical aesthetic to the nightscape of downtown Auckland. That and…well, it is one of ours.
