If you drove through San Francisco today and pulled up to a parking spot covered with shrubbery, don’t be alarmed: the spot was likely claimed for 2008 National PARK(ing) Day, a global one-day event that transforms metered parking spots into temporary public parks.
Down the street from MoJo, greeters at a busy intersection directed lunchtime walkers to the eco-friendly benches parked in one such spot, themed “Permeability.” Part public service announcement, part mini-flash mob, the annotated parking spot map by the McCall Design Group directed visitors to the water-saving landscape solutions present on this patch of asphalt, including composted bark mulch, native plants, tufted hairgrass, and water-filtering aqua-stone.
National PARK(ing) Day was started in 2005 by the Rebar Group, an interdisciplinary coalition of San Francisco artists, designers and activists. Since then, cities such as Portland, Seattle, and Tuscon have followed suit.
According to Nikki Wisser, an associate with McCall Design Group, their permeable spot hasn’t drawn any irritated bystanders.
“I’m just glad I’m not driving today,” said one man with a chuckle as he walked past.
Photo by Jin Zhu.
