Vertical Public Space: multi-story parking structures potential in public space

INOM

EXAMENSARBETE ARKITEKTUR, AVANCERAD NIVÅ, 15 HP

STOCKHOLM SVERIGE 2020,

Vertical Public Space

multi-story parking structures potential in public space

JONATHAN ERIKSSON

KTH

SKOLAN FÖR ARKITEKTUR OCH SAMHÄLLSBYGGNAD

VERTICAL PUBLIC SPACE

- multi-story parking structures potential in public space By: Jonathan Eriksson

Vertical Public Space

- multi-story parking structures potential in public space

Eriksson, Jonathan

Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) Stockholm, Sweden

By: Jonathan Eriksson Copyright © 2020 Eriksson, J

Cover image and interior images by Eriksson, J, Except where otherwise noted.

Digital copy accessible on thanneriksson.se

University: Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)

Extensive credits: 15 credits Supervisor: Mats Lundström Publication: Stockholm, 2020

Program: Master’s programme in Urbanism Studies (muse) 60 credit

Title: Vertical Public Space - multi-story parking structures potential in public space

Abstract:

The purpose of the project is to investigate the multi-story parking structures potential in relation to retrofit into public spaces. The project built on an alternative future scenario, there the amount of automobiles decreasing in our inner-ci- ty areas out from a mobility shift, linked to new technology and change of habits. This scenario will generate a spati- al consequence on a city scale there several multi-story parking structures will become available for retrofitting into new types of uses and functions. This project investigates the potential and challenges of the retrofitting of multi-story parking structures out from contemporary practice, previo- us research, innovative projects and an actual case study of P-house Godsmagasinet in Malmö, Sweden. The work results in an exploratory design process in how P-house Godsmagasinet can be retrofitted into a public space out from a strategic design approach. There the design metho- dology is divided into different phases, to collect and use information simultaneously within the ongoing process.

Through this project, I want to contribute with extended re- flections and knowledge to the professions working with urban developments, and above all highlight the potential of the multi-story parking structure. The retrofitting of mul- ti-story parking structures is related to sustainable urban development and is relevant in the professions dealing with contemporary and future urban environment issues, where I believe that this not only illustrates my own interest but is relevant to everyone who working with the urban environ- ment.

This project was written during the terrible Covid-19 pandemic, a virus that affected the entire world in a direct cruel way with its fast spread of infection and its many victims. My deepest thoughts of care go to the pandemics many victims’ relatives and their families.

This period of time causes anguish and is painful in se- veral aspects that affect a large amount of people globally. Consequences as total lockdowns of cities, societies and countries that drastically changes pe- ople’s everyday life. Following of weeks or even moths in quarantine with the smallest symptoms that limited social interaction and prohibited physical interac- tion. Closed workspaces limited public transportation, highly restricted grocery shopping and a nearly clo- sed global world, that’s a few challenges in relation to society and people’s everyday life out from the pan- demic.

The fast spread of infection between people questi- oning density, our urban lifestyle, our public transpor- tation system, and raises issues in relation to space, mobility, hygiene and more. The lack of space makes the two-meter distancing restrictions hard to follow for business, traffic and for people in general.

Foreword:

Figure 1. Section of ”Holland creates Space” The Netherlands Pavilion from the 2000 World Expo by MVRDV, year 2000 (MVRDV, 2000).

The Covid-19 pandemic have forces us to an even lar- ger extension of individualism, there the collectivism people are on their knees without the societies daily basic services to rely on. On the other hand, we have the high-income earners, the advocates of individua- lism that is less affected of the society’s limitations and public restrictions. The Covid-19 pandemic is highligh- ting society’s gaps and ethical differences within so- cieties.

When I first visualized my master thesis project and its process before the turn of the year, I or any of my fel- low students couldn’t imagine this to happen. In an international program with students from all over the world, our studio went totally silence from a normal day to none to follow. Flight tickets was booked in hur- ry for unrealistic prices, apartment was left with belon- gings without any return ticket. I didn’t have to expe- rience this stressful time with its decisions as many of my fellow’s students was forced to do, but I remember the late hour we packed together our private belon- gings in the studio, the atmosphere in the room, the surrealistic, the stress, the unknown, with an uncertain goodbye, with future promises and a last phrase of

“take care”.

This pages in my early project plan was reserved for a wild and creative metaphor of the future of public space and my finding and fascination of The Nether- lands Pvilion, 2000 World Expo in section as a guiding star in my early ideas of a multi-story parking structu- re as a public space (see figure 1.). It seems that the world must find its order, its norms, its habitus in the public realm before wild creativity can flow in the same way it did before virus and misery.

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Foreword

Vision and Goals Question of issue Delimitations

Multi-story parking structures The future of multi-story parking structures Innovative parking structures projects

Method discussion

P-house Godsmagasinet P-house Godsmagasinet in relation to Malmö Urban developments, Malmö Plan floor analyses Fragments diagram

Volume diagram

Discussion in relation to Covid-19

Phases Design methodology Participatory process

Literature

Figure sources List of interesting parking structures projects Electronic sources Articles

1.

Introduction

Introduction:

The urban realm is constantly transforming out from its people´s everyday practise, based on the society’s contemporary norms. One of the most radical transformation shifts in relation to cities throughout the years is cities adaptation to the automobile with its related infrastructure. The automobile has extended its privilege in the urban realm to an un- sustain situation, that opposes the cities inhabitant’s and disfavour their everyday life. The automobiles privileges in the society have claimed a huge amount of space in our cities, space that is hard to see as other uses in relation to the normalization of automobiles.

Space that could be used to favour the people of the city and develops in hand with people’s needs and desires, towards a sustainable urban development.

The discussion of inner-city areas and automobiles have been active for a longer period of time, and urban developments in pedestrianisation is a larger part of the architecture professions contemporary practice. Even with this enlightenment in the profession this transformation process is a multidisciplinary project on a society scale that include political, economic, private and public interests etc. The pedestrianisation of inner-city areas is also related to a mobility shift their new mobility options have to be introduced in hand with the decrease of automobiles.

This development will result in a reduce of the amount of automobiles in inner-city areas. New interventions and technologies as 5G network, artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous vehicle (AV) will assist this development by making the mobility in inner-city areas more efficient. This development in hand with new technologies is discussed to change our perception of using automobiles, there automobile use will shift towards a service instead of being an individual privilege for a few, that in hand with technology will result in a decrease of the amount of automobiles in inner-city areas.

This scenario will generate a spatial consequence their automobile related infrastructure will become available for retrofitting in new types of uses and functions. There less monofunctional mobility infrastructure will be necessary in inner-city areas and release a huge amount of space, allowing new developments to take form and make existing structures available for retrofitting as multi-story parking structures etc. Few have reflected on the actual potential by this realistic scenario, in which automobile related infrastructure that will become available for new type of uses and functions within the city in the absent of the automobile as we know it today. In which possibilities its open ups for the inhabitants of the city and for the city itself, in counter present and future challenges at a local and on a city scale.

This project is investigating the multi-story parking structures potential in relation to public space out from this described scenario. The future of parking structures and its potential is not as heavily debated as pedestrianisation of cities and future mobility shifts, though it relates to etch other.

There are several interesting projects within the topic of parking structures that opposes its originality of being a monofunctional structure in the urban fabric. The legitimate and necessary attention isn’t given to parking structures to understand its fully potential in the future, as a structure and in scale. Therefore, this project investigates questions that relates to the retrofitting of multi-story parking structure in relation to public space and collect previous research and projects in the subject in one project.

The project is divided in several chapters there the first chapter present the purpose of the project with its vision and question of issue, that guides the content throughout the project. The projects delimitations are also presented in this chapter to clarify the frame of the project with its content. In chapter two; previous research, theories and innovative projects in relation to parking structures is presented. This chapter constitutes a knowledge background to enable further research in the subject. In the third chapter, I write about the methodology of the project and reflect on its advantages and disadvantages.

I also include a paragraph in relation to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and how it affected my project plan and processes. In chapter four, I present my case-study of P-house Godsmagasinet in Malmö, there I first explain its situation in the city of Malmö, and its future situation out from the city’s larger urban development’s projects. Then the case itself is analysed in plan, construction, context, access and in other relevant qualifications. In chapter five, the discussion is merging the former chapters content into a reflective discussion between collected information in hand with my own reflections. In chapter six the result as an exploratory design proposal is presented in how P-house Godsmagasinet can be retrofitted into a public space out from a strategic design process. There the project process is divided into different phases, based on one of Dan Hills design methodologies. In the seventh chapter the projects final result is presented with conclusions in different topics, in answering the projects question of issue. In the eighth and last chapter I list the projects references and sources in relation to figures and images. I also present a list of interesting projects in relation to parking structures, that I collected throughout my working process, that can be relevant for further research in the subject.

Through this project, I want to contribute with new reflections and knowledge to the professions working with urban developments, and above all highlight the potential of the multi-story parking structure, where I consider urban design to play an im¬portant role. The retrofitting of multi- story parking structures is related to sustainable urban development and is relevant in the professions dealing with contemporary and future urban environment issues, where I believe that this not only illustrates my own interest but is relevant to everyone who working with the urban environment.

Vision and Goal:

The project aims to investigate and highlight the potential of the multi-story parking structure typology, in relation to be retrofitted into future public space in inner-city areas.

There the multi-story parking structure is analyses and aware of its qualities that direct future possibilities in function and design. The project also vison to present a strategic design process with an example of configuration with strategies in relation to design, involved agencies and participants. With this I would like to extend the thinking of public spaces and highlight the multi-story parking structure typology potential in relation to public space, and simultaneously add ideas in how we can use existing structures in the urban fabric to increase the amount of public space in dense urban areas, to achieve a richer urban vitality and counter larger contemporary and future challenges in relation to urbanisation and peoples everyday life.

Which potential and challenges dose the multi-story parking structure possesses as a structure and in relation to public space, and how can multi-story parking structures in inner- city areas be transformed into multifunctional and vibrant public places in the near future out from a strategic urban design approach?

Question at Issue:

The number of actual brought up cases is limited to P-house Godsmagasinet in Malmö and no more multi-story parking structure case; this limitation is set to reach a deeper understanding and material of P-house Godsmagasinet.

However, I believe that several analyses of multi-story parking structures would be of interest to get a larger understanding and perspective of these structures. Simultaneously, I consider that P-house Godsmagasinet configuration represent at large the universal multi-story parking structure typologies primal fragments and in design, that makes the projects findings and conclusions applicable to the most multi-story parking structures. It is also important to highlight that the design methodology and process is even more important than the actual design case outcome in the investigative design result present.

Mobility:

In relation to mobility, this project will not implement more advance traffic analyses in relation to automobiles, at the specific case and in its direct context, to understand P-house Godsmagasinet daily clients and traffic context for future retrofitting. By investigating these analyses an idea of the present parking situation and its need for the local companies and residents could be measured. There a more specific and local strategy in the decrease of parking spaces could be included in the project. This could also be a tool to analyse when the specific multi-story parking structure is available for retrofitting out from questions in relation to the amount of parking spaces and automobile traffic. This limitation is set to mainly address issues related to my research question, that focusing on the structure’s potential in public space.

Case visits:

Out from the current global situation with Covid-19 and the government strong restrictions to limit travels during the pandemic there is a reduced possibility to visit my Limitations:

case P-house Godsmagasinet, this limits an overall case- study with analyses, observations and interaction with the everyday users on the site to address there desires and needs in the project.

Propose:

Regarding the propose, the design will be limited to the case P-house Godsmagasinet and its immediate context.

Additional buildings, objects, streets, or other relevant aspects could be included if they prove meaningful in relation to the propose. The propose of the work is built on an investigative process, a physically testing, there I focus on the potential of the structure and in new uses that could establish in a multi-story parking structure. It will not result in a real propose for reconstruction, it is more about an investigation and analyse of the structure and the potential of the multi-story parking structure in relation to public space.

Technical limitations and opportunities:

There is an understanding of regulations and judicial laws that limit the possibilities in retrofitting parking structures today in relation to; pollution, safety, floor-to-floor high, lighting, drainage, traffic, accessibility, ventilation etc.

there will be no deeper investigation in juridical aspects and the proposal will not take this legal aspect into a larger account. A larger focus on jurisdictions would be important to understand in depth and crucial to make this possible in the future, but in this project, it would highlight new challenges that establish nonrelated questions to the research question. This project investigates the multi-story parking structures potential in a first stage, juridical aspects is included in final stages to make the design working. The investigation of juridical aspects in relation to the retrofitting of multi-story parking structures would highlight regulations that prevents this project to establish, this could then be further investigated and help new building codes for this type of retrofitting to be written.

Strategic planning:

A real participation processes with discussions and workshops that contribute with local knowledge and inputs would be of great importance. That would act as a basis to direct the design proposals intentions, vision and eventually its actual design. This could have been partly done but out from the current situation with the pandemic, regulations limited the possibilities for physical interactions and unnecessary meetings. This could have taken form digitally but without a greater understanding of the sites agencies and actors it would have taken too much time to collect this type of information.

Economic:

There is significant to understand the economic aspects and its several related actors and interests when working with existing multi-story parking structures with daily users and of being a necessary function in our contemporary society.

Multi-story parking structures is demanding larger investment to be constructed and therefore involves political and private interest that affect the cities inhabitants in relation to economy. In this project it could be interesting to compare expected demolishing costs toward expected retrofitting costs, in answering the question: Why not demolish? It is also necessary to figure out the financing of the structure after constructed in what costs and revenues that may emerge. To design a strategy in how to secure the funding of the future space to achieve a resilience space with the power within the community to direct its future function and visions. There private interests and capital profit isn’t opposing the desires and needs of the space’s community. This is high hypothetical questions and will not be calculated in a larger extend but is very important to understand to achieve a qualitative and resilience space. Larger questions in relation to the economic aspects in retrofitting of multi-story parking structures isn’t therefore included in the project.

2.

Multi-story parking structure

Multi-Story Parking Structures:

There are several used terms around the world that refers to facilities with purposes related to automobile parking, the terms are mainly linked to their geographical location and language differences, and not necessary to the actual physical form or the facilities purpose (Smith, 2001). The term parking structure is manly used in the U.S. by architects and civil engineers out from their work with structures, and the term is also used to distinguish such a structure from being associated with a family house “garage”. The term multi-storey parking structure is used in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and largely in the Commonwealth of Nations countries. A multi-storey parking structure is signifying, a multi-story facility mainly above ground with a purpose to storage automobiles and could either be open or enclosed (Smith, 2001). In this project I will use the term multi-storey parking structure and talk about multi-storey parking structures out from the description above, this is also the type within the typology of parking facilities the project will mainly investigate.

Multi-storey car park: (UK English) a multi-level facility mainly above ground and could either be open or enclosed.

Parking garage: (US, English) is used, to varying degrees, throughout the U.S. and Canada as well often referring to underground parking, and professionally by civil engineers.

Parking structure: distinguish from being associated with a family house

“garage”.

Parking deck: Southern United States

Parking ramp: upper midwest Minnesota and Wisconsin, also far east Buffalo and New York

Parkade: Western Canada and South Africa Parking building: New Zealand

In the book Parking Structures, Planning, Design, Construction, Maintenance & Repair from 2001 by Chrest, A. Smith, M. Bhuyan, S. Iqbal, M. and Monahan, D. the authors have write an general parking structure handbook in relation to construction, design and up-keep etc. Parking structures are a global phenomenon and therefore present all over the world serving several services, functions and facilities in both urban and suburban settings (Chrest, 2001).

Before the 2000-century parking structures with 300 to 500 parking spaces, considers as average size and a structure with 1,000 parking spaces, massive. Today, 1,000 – 3,000 parking spaces are not uncommon, and there are parking structures with 11,000-12,000 parking spaces (Chrest, 2001).

In general, the authors describe that there is two types of parking structures that is defined out from buildings codes. Open and enclosed parking structures, there open structures don’t require mechanical ventilation or sprinkles, as enclosed structures require, which makes enclosed structures more expensive to build (Smith, 2001). From a land use perspective parking is described as extreme out from a financial perspective, therefore parking structures development usually must be subsidized by other funding sources. In locations there parking can follow market- prices to the users, parking structures can be a remarkable profitable enterprise (Smith, 2001). Underground parking can affect the development costs largely out from the numbers of floors below ground and the soil conditions on the site.

Parking structures located in warmer climate can have a lower cost than structures that need to consider snow falls, there a higher capacity of the structure is needed and a generate a larger cost for maintenance.

Figure 2, Temple Street Parking Garage in New Haven, CT, United States from1959 by Paul Rudolph (Hidden Architecture, 2016).

”… first, not overbuild parking and second, do it right the first time. Building a well-designed parking structure can yield a significant return on an investment in good planning and design; however, poor planning and/or design can leave an owner with unhappy users and a constant drain on resources.”

(Mary S. Smith, 2001).

Many factors affect the selection of the best functional design for a particular parking facility:

- type( s) of users - dimensions of site - pedestrian needs - parking geometrics - wayfinding - peak-hour volumes - floor-to-floor height

- flow capacity (Smith, 2001).

In relation to the design and use of parking structures wayfinding is mention as a necessary aspect to consider according to the writers, there parking structures is a monotony spaces there etch level consists by similar plan layouts. There the authors write that people should know where they are and where they want to go with minimum of signs, this and visibility is mentioned as key goals in relation to wayfinding (Chrest, 2001). Security and safety are also important aspects to consider when it comes to parking structures and even more importance when the considerations of pedestrians within parking structures have taken to a larger account. The authors write that parking structures have been declared over the years to be inherently dangerous spaces and increase the probability for crime actions to take place (Chrest, 2001). Statistic from 1992, shown that parking facilities were the third most frequent place of occurrence for violent crime (e.g. rape, robbery, and assault) in the US, accounting for 8.5% of violent crimes. Smith writes that it´s important to add that the most frequent location for a violent crime is at, or near a residence and both violent and property crimes are much more likely to occur at home. There is also statistic that points on the location and the neighbourhood that the parking structure is located in, to be the greatest impact of crime actions to establish (Smith, 2001). Stairwells and elevator areas is recommended to be designed totally open to the exterior and parking areas. If an open design is not possible out from building codes or weather protections aspects etc. glass walls can prevent both assaults and vandalism to take place. The authors also writes about fire in relation to parking structures there fires are extremely infrequent according to other buildings types, facility damages is often low and minimum spread risk, and no one have died in a parking structure fire (Smith, 2001).

Other features that are simply inherent to parking facilities make security- perceived or real-difficult, including:

• parked cars provide hiding places and impede distribution of lighting

• sloping ramps, necessary to provide floor-to-floor circulation, impede visibility across the facility

• most parking facilities are necessarily open to the public

• there is an ”ideal” mode of escape-the private vehicle

(Smith, 2001).

Considering to safety in relation to parking structures psychology is also being mentioned to play a larger part in the security design by the authors, their good design therefore takes the influence of people’s interpretations to account with CPTED (Crime prevention through environmental design) strategies. Medias perception of parking structures is highlighted by the authors to affecting people’s perception of the space in a negative mode.

There TV shows and movies often feature crime actions scenes in parking facilities, this is frequently shown and affect people. News agencies is also mentioned as giving crimes in relation to parking structures larger space in the news feed (Chrest, 2001).

The key to good security is visibility. Passive security/CPTED features should be a high priority in virtually all parking facility designs because:

• good passive design increases visibility at the lowest possible cost

• circumstances and risk levels change

• retrofitting is very expensive if not impossible

• Labor and equipment-intensive active systems are generally needed because of shortcomings in passive security features.

(Chrest, 2001).

” Parking facilities comprise a relatively large volume of space with relatively low activity levels.”

(Smith, 2001).

“First, no parking structure floor should ever be flat, even if no rain can fall directly on it. Rain will be blown into lower floors. Cars will carry water into lower floors also. Heavy rains may overload top floor drains. The overflow will run down ramped floors until the lower-floor drains can carry it away.”

(Smith, 2001).

Figure 3, A simple illustration of a multi-story parking structure (illustration by the author, 2020).

On CityLab´s website Eric Jaffe writs in his post We need to Design Parking Garage With a Car-less Future in Mind from 2013, that new urban parking garage should be built with an alternative future use in mind. Cities densification will ge- nerate better transit options that will decrease the number of private automobiles users, which result in a future with a reduced need of parking (Jeffe, 2013). Jeffe argue, that there is an upcoming trend between architects and desig- ner for introduce adaptability requirements when building new urban parking garage. There surprisingly developers are optimistic to these requirements as well, Jeffe reflect that they also see a less-car dependent future comings as well and building parking garage not resolve in a long-term use (Jeffe, 2013). Jeffe mention, that there are three main elements that simplifies future adaptable for garage design, flat floor, comfortable floor-to-floor heights and construction capacity that supports future structural uses (Fisher in Jaffe, 2013). In conclusion Jeffe proposes cities taking the front by rewriting zoning and buildings codes to require garage developers to meet the minimal adaptability requirements (Jeffe, 2013).

”If we’re going to build these [garages] let’s design them in a way that they can have alternative uses in the future. With just a few tweaks that’s really possible.”

(Tom Fisher in Jaffe, 2013).

(Szopinska-Mularz and Lehmann, 2019). This potential benefit social, environmental and economic sustainability, and the adaptive reuse of existing buildings in inner-city areas is regularly mention as the most sustainable approach in new urban developments (Szopinska-Mularz and Lehmann, 2019).

As a conclusion Szopinska-Mularz and Lehmann writes that a new or an additional use would need architectural modifications that may involve changes within the construction related to low floor-to-floor-height and the design of ramps, staircases and supports. Szopinska-Mularz and Lehmann also highlight that each car-parking structure is unique and require specific analysis of its individual features to be able to decide its future potential (Szopinska- Mularz and Lehmann, 2019). However, each car parking structure should be analysed individually to develop innovative solutions adjusted to the specific urban context and community needs. Szopinska-Mularz and Lehmann is also writing that additional analysis is needed to signify appropriate architectural strategies for multi-storey car parks to become re-used.

“… if inner-city car parking structures became redundant, the potential benefits for the social, environmental and economic sustainability need to be explored in order to decide if these garages should be retained and up-cycled to alternative use or demolished and replaced by another investment.”

(Szopinska-Mularz and Lehmann, 2019 p. 10).

In Monika Szopinska-Mularz and Steffen Lehmann article Urban Farming in Inner-city Multi-storey Car -parking Structures-Adaptive Reuse Potential from 2019, the authors are investigating the multi-storey car-parking structure adaptive potential in relation to urban food production and the potential as a new mixed-use typology. Their study is based on three case studies of multi-storey car -parking structures in UK, there the different cases become an architectural exploration of various scenarios and opportunities for an adaptive reuse of car-parking structures in relation to urban hydroponic farming. Szopinska-Mularz and Lehmann writes that by investigate several cases reveal that the cases have similar problems in relation to future adaptive reuse, which can be overcome with appropriate architectural strategies (Szopinska-Mularz and Lehmann, 2019). There a recurrent challenge in the article is to solve the structures architectural dimensions that current is based on the automobile towards a more human appropriate, linked to future purpose. The mainly mentioned problematic related to multi-storey car parks is the insufficient planning of ramps and staircases, there safety is stated as a key consideration in a redevelopment process. Out from technical specifications, the floor-to-floor height is too low for implement additional uses, such as restaurants or offices.

The permeable parking decks makes natural daylight limited to the central areas of the structures., therefore reconstruction of concrete slabs could be necessary. The structures developed as a ramp become a limitation for several uses and needs more advanced technical solutions, which increase the costs of the investment and may not be financially viable (Szopinska-Mularz and Lehmann, 2019).

Multi-storey car parks as a single-function structure is also problematic for the streetscape and its direct surrounding, but with potential by add new mixed-uses in the ground floors that reinforce the mixed-use development in city centres, the direct relationship to the street and introduce new opportunities that attract pedestrians and cyclists

The Park´n´Play project rethinks parking houses monofunc- tional character and transforms it into a hybrid structure between a parking house and a playground, that beco- me a public amenity instead of an infrastructural necessity (JaJa, 2020). The structures ground level contains a super- market and a local recycle space for residents to exchange old furniture and object under a type of “leave, go and grab” system.

The projects work with the buildings existing grid structure and add new elements in the façade that divides the large volume and reduce its huge impression in scale. The unitary corten steel façade possess several plant boxes and two large public stairs that in hand with the participatory produ- ced artwork “The frieze” by Rama Studio invites users from the street level to the rooftop playground. The rooftop play- ground that is 24m above ground, possesses a panoramic view over Copenhagen Harbour and offer an interacting play with swings, cross-fit equipment, jungle gyms, recrea- tional qualities and more (JaJa, 2020).

“”PARK’N’PLAY” is a hybrid structure between parking hou- se and playground. It rethinks the monofunctional parking house and transforms what is often an infrastructural neces- sity into a public amenity.”

(JaJa, 2020).

Park ‘n’ Play

Architects: JAJA Architects / Location: Copenhagen / Year: 2016

Figure 6. park ´n´play (JAJA, 2019) Figure 4. Illustration of the facade of

park ´n´play with its different elements integrated in the faced (JAJA, 2019)

Figure 5. Photo to communicate the view from the top-floor of park

´n´play (JAJA, 2019)

Stadsberget or in translation “Urban-Mountain” is a wooden parking house located in the northern part of Sweden, with addons as a landscaped slope and an amphitheatre. The project is designed out from its contextual situation and is today an important character for its surroundings (White, 2020). Conceptual the volume is created as a wooden lan- tern that is lighted up during dark hours to give a spatial interior light and a visual effect from the outside, to address orientation and safety (White, 2020). The use of the lands- caped slope is transforming seasonal, acting as an amp- hitheatre in the summertime for different events, and in the winter an active mountain for snow sledding and more.

The material choose is based on the great regional forest industry and local material access. There the larch dressed façade in hand with the lighting create the illusion of a woo- den lantern during night-time, and during daytime express a genuine warm out from the material reflect (White, 2020).

Stadsberget (Urban mountain)

Architects: White Architects, Henning Larsen Architects / Location: Piteå, Sweden / Year: 2015

Figure 8. Stadsberget (White, 2020) Figure 7. Conceptual diagram of Stadsberget

(White, 2020)

World of Food is located in the southeast quarter of Amster- dam known as one of the world’s most multicultural com- munities with around 180 nationalities (ArchDaily, 2015). The project transformed an abandoned parking structure to an exotic food market and become an icon in the southeast Amsterdam renewal process. World of Food offering glo- bal specialties represented from several kitchens, the old structure contains a Mc Donald’s and a student pub as well. The projects are mentioned as a long-cherished wish from the local authorities there the architects take the initia- tive to accommodate the project (ArchDaily, 2015).

The project makes the quality of the concrete construc- tion visible, there cutting holes in the thin floor between the heavy concrete beams, that creates a higher floor-to-floor height and generate natural light. Additions as steel and glass from demolished identical garages is used for the re- furbishment of this garage (ArchDaily, 2015).

“Within a tight budget and with minimal resources this new venue exposes the pride of one the most interesting parts of Amsterdam.”

(Harney Otten and Ted Schulten in ArchDaily).

World of Food

Architects: Harvey Otten, Ted Schulten / Location: Amsterdam / Year: 2015

Figure 10. World of food (ArchDaily, 2015) Figure 9. Image of how they have cut up the upper

parking deck to increase the floor-to-floor height (ArchDaily, 2015)

The ZIP2516 project is a part of a larger industrial transforma- tion in the Hague, there the concept is to transform a part of an existing parking structure to a building for social and commercial entrepreneurship combined with a public squ- are (Studio Komma, 2020). The project attempt to become an iconic building that supports the industrial transforma- tion into a new energetic urban district (ArchDaily, 2020).

The development of the new building will use material from the old parking structure, there approximately 95% of the material will be available for reuse in future developments (Studio Komma, 2020). Out from the competition format of

“10-year temporary design”, Studio Komma designed the building as an ‘idea of Lego’, which allow further addons, moving the building or make it permanent out from futu- re desires (ArchDaily, 2020). The project proposes mix-uses with a “urban playground” in the ground floor, offices and start-up spaces on the floors above and a bar with a roof terrace on top (ArchDaily, 2020).

ZIP 2516

Architects: Studio Komma / Location: The Hague, The Netherlands / Year: (expected) 2018

Figure 12. ZIP 2516 (Studio Komma, 2020) Figure 11. Conceptual diagram communicating which

elements they have used from the existing parking structure in the new building (Studio Komma, 2020)

The project POP-UP is described as an innovation project on Tredje Naturs website, combining three solutions at once in the contemporary monofunctional parking structure con- cept. POP-UP address challenge with flooding, parking and the lack of green space, by stacking water reservoir, par- king facility and urban space in one (Tredje Natur, 2020).

The project is described to highlighting the adaptation to the forces of nature, when heavy rain falls, stormwater fills the underground reservoir and the parking structure will pop up in the cityscape. This is also described as a tem- porary, but visible player that illustrate cities transformation in character and function as the weather changes (Tredje Natur, 2020).

The POP-UP project extending cities contemporary climate adaptation strategy by thinking about the intersection of problems, instead of splitting resources into several mono- functional projects. A single solution as POP-UP can maximi- ze utility value and minimize overall construction and main- tenance costs (Tredje Natur, 2020). Out from an economic perspective this strategy will make it able to create more space for other developments and increase the capacity in inner-city areas (Tredje Natur, 2020).

“There is a battle for urban space. Often the choice comes down to financials and open spaces loose to developme- nts. By combining several solutions into one, the POP-UP en- ables cities to ensure the economic vitality of the city whilst becoming resilient. They can maximize the economic re- turn by creating dense and vibrant neighbourhoods, and ensure resilient and liveable urban spaces for the local po- pulation”

(Jonathan Asbjørn Leonardsen in Tredje Natur, 2019).

POP-UP

Architects: Tredje Natur, COWI, Ramboll / Location: illustrated in New York / Year: 2016 on hold

Figure 14. POP-UP (Tredje Natur, 2020) Figure 13. (Tredje Natur, 2020)

3.

Methodology

Methodology

This research project built on contemporary practice in relation to the construction of parking structures, theore- tical studies, studies of several relevant multi-story parking structure and on a case study of P-house Godsmagasinet in Malmö, Sweden. Rolf Ejvergård writes in his book Veten- skaplig metod from 2009, That a case-study is based on a recess within the research subject your project examines.

There the focus often manages one specific or a few cases, to reach a more detailed recess and knowledge within the subject you investigate (Ejvegård, 2009).

The interest of parking structures and its potential in relation to public space was a likely subject for the master thesis pro- ject in the Master´s programme in Urbanism Studies (KTH) for a longer period of time. That early within the project deve- loped into investigate a more specific type within the sub- ject of parking structures, the multi-story parking structure.

In the projects beginning when parking structures was the general aim of the project, the intention of the project was to study all the different typologies within the field of par- king structures and their different qualities in future retrofit- ting into public spaces. The project then delimited towards the specific focus on the multi-story parking structure and its potential in public space. This direction was coming up after seminars discussions and out of a general understan- ding of the different parking structures typologies and qua- lities, there the multi-story parking structure in-direct possess larger qualities in relation to a retrofitting into public space then the other parking structure typologies. The project star- ted therefore in collecting general information and resear- ch of different parking structure typologies, and then spe- cific on multi-story parking structures. The research is mainly based on theoretical research that include contemporary construction practice of parking structures, scientific artic- les and reflective web articles in relation to parking structu- res. Several innovative projects in relation to the topic of parking structures and its potential, and the future develop-

ments of this structurers. The research result in a case-study of the multi-story parking structure P-house Godsmagasinet in Malmö, Sweden. There the collected research and in- formation is applied in relation to a actually case, to un- derstand the theories in practice and later transform it to a design strategy for P-house Godsmagasinet, that can be applied on several multi-story parking structure in general in hand with its own analyses and solutions.

The chosen case-study of the multi-story parking structure P-House Godsmagasinet is previously known out from my time as a student in Malmö. There my interest transformed into reflections of P-House Godsmagasinet´s urban situ- ation, context and design started. One of the university building (Gäddan) is located direct into P-house Godsma- gasinet that made me pass the structure daily. Malmö Sa- luhall (food court) is also directly located next to P-house Godsmagasinet that attracted me to several visits during my study time in Malmö. This gave me good and impor- tant previous knowledge for this project and to the case, P-House Godsmagasinet in relation to the; city, district, site, companies and users in the area.

Early in the process I came over Szopinska-Mularz and Le- hmann article that investigated the multi-story parking structures potential in relation to urban farming, the artic- le gave me an general understanding of the challenges in relation to multi-story parking structures and its retrofit- ting, and helped me to formulate secondary questions and gave me general answers that was interesting to follow up or investigate in my own case-study of P-house Godsmaga- sinet. Out from the contemporary situation with the pande- mic site-visits and case-studies become difficult to comple- te, out from my location in Stockholm. I requested drawings

of P-house Godsmagasinet from Malmö city planning office early in the process to be enable to draw a digital 3D model in SketchUp of the whole structure and its adjacent context, to be able to move around and place myself in, to under- stand its construction, its challenges and its potential out from the digital 3D model and my memories of the space.

The correct drawn 3D model out from the requested floor plans of P-house Godsmagasinet gave me a basic under- standing of the construction of the structure. This was later developed into a fragment diagram drawing that com- municated the structures more permanent elements to its more moveable elements. As a result of the fragment dia- gram and the understanding of the structures I created a volume diagram, that communicates the spatial qualities limitations out from the structures steel beams and in floor- to-floor hight. There the steel beams divide the space of the larger open plan into smaller rectangular volumes that limits several secondary uses and functions to take form in the existing space.

In the explorative design process my approaches become working with different phases out from Dan Hills article Day- lighting Melbourne: how we can transform our cities, street by street from 2019, I wanted these phases to become as pedagogic and visual as possible to make the reader un- derstand the existing site and its true potential in a grap- hic equal way. This resulted in six highly detailed drawings mainly in section to capture the levels, the intersection, the diverse functions and to keep the impression and the un- derstanding that it still is a multi-story parking structure. Then the axonometric drawings become a powerful tool to inclu- de both information of the site and its context in an overall 3D drawing.

In my case-study I choose to focus on P-house Godsmaga- sinet in Malmö and not several multi-story parking structu- res, this delimitation was done to reach a deeper material in the specific case and not more general knowledge of several cases. Ejvergård writes that the benefits with a ca- se-study unlike a static analyse, you have a close relation to the object you are analysing (Ejvergård, 2009).

I consider that several analyses and case studies of mul- ti-story parking structures would have been interesting to achieve a wider perspective of multi-story parking structu- res in general. Simultaneously I would argue that P-house Godsmagasinet includes several aspects in its own structu- re and context, that could be applied on equivalent cases.

There the whole project with its process present a method to apply on multi-story parking structures in hand with case specific analyses and solutions. In relation to shifting of fo- cus from the start to investigate different parking typologies towards one specific, the multi-story parking structure. This made the research more focused and resulted in a deeper understanding of multi-story parking structures and provi- ded additional time for the explorative design process, that went from heavily conceptual to investigate actual cont- emporary solutions and strategies.

In relation to the ongoing pandemic my project plan was constantly reshaped there every day planning disturbed fo- cus and study routines. My planed case visits were constant- ly advanced that limited and postpone the projects, there the first case-study was completed in the end phase of the project, which is nothing to prefer. A first case study is impor- tant to perform in an early stage in the process, so know- ledge, images and analyses of the case is included in the contemporary research in an early stage, this makes it ea- sier to add ideas direct into the specific situation and case

through the project. Case studies is often the core of my previous projects and practice, that is performed throug- hout the whole project divided in several visits. This project with a situation there this type of methodology isn’t possibly made it harder to image the projects interventions in the actual case. The solutions to my limitations in spending time at my case P-house Godsmagasinet become to use the di- gital 3D model to understand the structure and its spaces digital. The digital 3D model made it possible to understand the structures spaces, scales and spatial qualities, partly re- duced as a digital 3D model. A fragment diagrams, volume diagrams, façade analyses, daylight and shadow studies was possible to perform with the digital 3D model, and se- veral drawings as sections, plans, axonometric drawings etc.

The design methodology of the retrofitting of P-house Gods- magasinet in several phases is based on Hills practice in transforming streets in different phases, there he highlights slow and fast processes. There Hill writes about the collec- tion of information through the project process makes the produced inventions more solid out from the participants and feedback loops. This strategy minimizing the risk of in- vestment, there the interventions is based and co-created with the project’s participants and the local community.

The design methodologies phases make the project to use the benefits in relation to time, which makes the collection of information and feedback loops possible to use in the contemporary production of the space. The project phases also make it possible to control the reduce of parking spa- ce over a period of time, which gives time for the current users to adapt to new mobility habits. In relation to eco- nomy their investment risk and try-outs become minimized in the possible to redirect the project or interrupt its process within the process, makes it nearly risk free in relation to ca- pital investment in the projects first three phases.

Methodology discussion

4.

P-house Godsmagasinet

P-house Godsmagasinet, Malmö

The parking house P-house Godsmagasinet is located in the centre part of Malmö. The building was designed by Tengbom Malmö and constructed in 2012 as a 11-half le- vel steel and concrete structure with 282 parking spaces.

Each storey of the multi-story parking structure is connected through two system of ramps located in the east and west centre of the parking structure. The storeys are also con- nected by two staircases there the west one possesses an elevator. The typical floor height is 2,70 m with leaning par- king decks. The parking structures ground level to the south and towards the street starts on +0,5m as the basement is half below ground. The parking structure have an open atmosphere with a good transparency and long distan- ce between the pillars, which create a sense of openness.

The parking structures façade is covered by a vertical liner façade in dull colors to tend its historical surrounding. The two-roof top-plans are leaning and are free from bigger in- stallations but possess a smaller number of solar panels.

Year of construction: 2012 Company: Parkering Malmö Total cost: ca 66 million (sek) Area: 5500 m2

Parking capacity: 282 places Main users:

Malmö university, Malmö Live, Malmö Saluhall and the Court of Appeal.

Existing qualities:

- Green-Wall: Biodiversity - Solar panels: energi

Figure 15. Axonometric drawing of P-house Godsmagasinet (illustration by the author, 2020).

Figure 16. City map of Malmö with P-house Godsmagasinet marked (illustration by the author, 2020).

MALMÖ

= P-Houses _{50m 150m 250m} N = P-House Godsmagasinet

MALMÖ

50m 150m 250m N = P-House Godsmagasinet

MALMÖ

Easten Harbor

Old Town (Centre)

Ribersborg Western Harbor

Varvstaden

Kajpromenaden

50m 150m 250m N

context:

varvstaden varvs parken

malmö universitet (gäddan)

malmö saluhall

kungs parken malmö hus ribbersborg

bo01 turning turso

västra hamnen

stora torg malmö live

malmö station malmö universitet

(orkanen)

malmö universitet (niagara)

lilla torg

stads bibbloteket

= P-House Godsmagasinet gustav adolfstorg

östra hamnen

MALMÖ

50m 150m 250m N

Amount of parking structures in Malmö inner-city area (approximately 21) Location of P-house Godsmagasinet at Universitetsholmen P-house Godsmagasinet and larger landmarks/services Urban developments in Malmö in relation to P-house Godsmagasinet

P-house Godsmagasinet in relation to Malmö

46.

Malmö Saluhall

Malmö University

Office building

Residence

Malmö Saluhall

Site-plan P-house Godsmagasinet

Figure 18. Site-plan of P-house Godsmagasinet and its context (illustration by the author, 2020).