Parking Spaces Reimagined: The Pop-Up Parking Service Brings Creative Parklets to Your Street
What would your street look like without cars, but with an outdoor cinema, a sauna, or even a playground? In Utrecht, RAUM is making this a reality with their Pop-Up Parking Service. This innovative service transforms everyday parking spaces into vibrant, temporary parklets, giving city residents a chance to reimagine their neighbourhood.
From Parking to Parklets
The podcast Algorithm of the City by Utrecht institute RAUM discusses creative rules that make cities better. We were asked to host an episode in which we investigate how parking spaces in our cities are being repurposed. We discuss not only the dominance of the car, but also inspiring initiatives such as Park(ing) Day, which help give these spaces back to the community. A growing trend that we highlight are parklets: small, temporary installations that transform parking spaces into valuable public facilities.
What if You Could Park a Swimming Pool?
Following the podcast episode, RAUM recently launched the Pop-Up Parking Service in Utrecht, a unique opportunity for city residents to order inspiring parklets for their street. From an outdoor cinema and playground to a coffee bar, hot tub and sauna — these creative solutions make it possible to re-experience urban space.
The Pop-Up Parking Service transforms everyday parking spaces into vibrant, temporary parklets, giving city residents a chance to reimagine their neighbourhood
With the Pop-Up Parking Service, RAUM offers a playful and tangible way to bring the debate about parking space repurposing to the street level, while directly demonstrating how our cities can become more liveable and creative. Thanks to media attention in major newspapers such as de Volkskrant and NRC, the Pop-Up Parking Service became national news.
