Speakers
Description
Urban and peri-urban parking lots are underutilized spaces with significant potential for sustainable transformation. Traditionally serving as basic vehicle storage, these sealed surfaces exacerbate climate change as urban heat islands and miss opportunities to support multifunctional uses. With shifting mobility paradigms, increasing demand for renewable energy, and growing societal needs for leisure and nature, these spaces must be reimagined.
This study, conducted through an interdisciplinary course at TU Wien, explored the transformation of parking lots into sustainable urban assets. Using a medium-sized Austrian city as a case study, the project aimed to integrate ecological, social, and energy goals, demonstrating the necessity of innovative architectural and spatial planning.
The Challenge: Unlocking Sustainability Potential
Parking lots can significantly contribute to sustainability by supporting renewable energy, biodiversity, and recreational needs. A prior study revealed that parking surfaces in Austria could generate 4 TWh of energy annually through adaptations with photovoltaic infrastructure (Salak et. al, 2017). As mobility shifts toward shared systems, these spaces can be reimagined to meet urban needs. Climate change intensifies urban heat islands, biodiversity loss calls for habitat connectivity, and local recreational demands emphasize multifunctional solutions. Addressing these factors requires a shift from single-purpose use to integrated concepts.
Collaborative Approach and Real-World Solutions
Architecture and spatial planning students collaborated with experts in landscape and regional development. Stakeholders evaluated existing parking spaces' potential in workshops, grounding the solutions in local contexts. Inspired by European examples, students developed holistic designs integrating renewable energy, biodiversity, and community spaces. These designs showcased how parking lots could serve energetic, ecological, social, and aesthetic functions.
Scalable Global Relevance
This transformative approach is globally relevant. Common challenges like car dependency, underutilized spaces, and the need for integrated designs exist in many cities worldwide. By adapting these concepts to local contexts, parking lots can support energy efficiency, biodiversity, and social inclusivity. This replicable strategy demonstrates how sustainable urban development can address shared challenges effectively.
Impact and Lessons Learned
The project’s outcomes were shared with stakeholders and the public, bridging the gap between academic research and practical application. By challenging traditional views of mobility and parking spaces, the initiative highlighted their potential as valuable urban assets. Students gained practical experience in collaborative problem-solving, emphasizing architecture and spatial planning’s role in addressing global challenges.
Conclusion
Reimagining parking lots as multifunctional spaces is essential for sustainable urban futures. This interdisciplinary effort demonstrates how innovative design and collaboration can transform underutilized areas into assets supporting future mobility, energy needs, and social goals. Parking lots, as ‘low-hanging fruits’ of urban planning, offer a practical pathway to more sustainable cities.
References
Salak, B., Graf, C., Muhar, A. (2017). Analyse von Großparkplätzen zur Photovoltaiknutzung in Österreich. Ein Beitrag zur nachhaltigen Energieversorgung, zukünftiger Elektromobilität und Bewusstseinsbildung bei EntscheidungsträgerInnen. 35. BOKU University. Vienna/Austria
| Keywords | transformation; multifunctional space; sustainable urban future; urban parking lots |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
