Park and play: Turning parking garages into social hotspots

By rethinking the design and purpose of buildings like parking structures, we can transform mundane moments into opportunities for inspiration and connection, fundamentally reshaping what it means to navigate our cities and communities.

Nike Parking Garage 11 — By rethinking the design and purpose of buildings like parking structures, we can transform mundane moments into opportunities for inspiration and connection, fundamentally reshaping what it means to navigate our cities and communities.

Aaron Pleskac

May 28, 2024

Parking garages rarely evoke memorable experiences beyond the routine and sometimes frustrating task of finding a parking spot. Thankfully, architects and designers are rethinking these structures not just as functional necessities but as dynamic pieces of social infrastructure that enhance the journey from arrival to destination and create engaging social experiences.

This shift towards creating social magnets out of parking garages highlights a broader push to make every aspect of the built environment functionally and experientially enriching. By rethinking the design and purpose of buildings like parking structures, we can transform mundane moments into opportunities for inspiration and connection, fundamentally reshaping what it means to navigate our cities and communities.

Our team at SRG + CannonDesign did exactly that when designing two new parking structures for our client’s world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Working closely with the client, we created campus landmarks that greet visitors and employees with a blend of form and function that captivates the senses and inspires movement and connection.

By emphasizing placemaking — and carving out significant space for pedestrian and recreational use — these new-generation parking garages offer much more than just a place to park. Inspired by the vibrant sports cultures of two iconic cities, New York City and Los Angeles, each structure embodies the spirit and dynamism of its namesake. Expansive covered courtyards serve as defining social spaces, setting these parking structures apart from all others. They also shift the sequence of a branded workplace experience from one that typically begins at a front door to one that starts before drivers leave their cars.

Each parking structure is split into distinct parking bays, with each expressed separately from the next, resulting in an undulating roof and end walls.

Nike Parking Garages 12 — Each parking structure is split into distinct parking bays, with each expressed separately from the next, resulting in an undulating roof and end walls.

The massing breaks, highlighted with bright orange metal panels, make the structures appear to be springing forward — emphasizing athletic movement and giving the facilities a human scale.

Nike Parking Garages 7 — The massing breaks, highlighted with bright orange metal panels, make the structures appear to be springing forward — emphasizing athletic movement and giving the facilities a human scale.

Nike Parking Garages 8 — The massing breaks, highlighted with bright orange metal panels, make the structures appear to be springing forward — emphasizing athletic movement and giving the facilities a human scale.

NYC Garage

The NYC Garage is artfully themed around the fast-paced and “gritty urban” vibe of New York City. The covered courtyard exudes an urban feel with asphalt paving, cobblestone elements and artist-commissioned graffiti walls, while equipment for basketball, wallball and futsal infuses the distinct energy of New York City recreation. Speed ramps and a parking navigation system direct cars to each of the garage’s six levels, which are branded with super graphics, logos and colors for New York sports teams: the New York Giants, Jets, Knicks, Nets, Yankees and Mets.

On any given day, the courtyard is a hub of activity with basketball games, team gatherings, and people lounging around to relax.

Nike Parking Garages 5 — On any given day, the courtyard is a hub of activity with basketball games, team gatherings, and people lounging around to relax.

Several artists from across the globe were commissioned to paint murals for the garage, celebrating New York City’s sports culture — with street basketball and hip-hop culture as inspiration.

Nike Parking Garages 3 — Several artists from across the globe were commissioned to paint murals for the garage, celebrating New York City’s sports culture — with street basketball and hip-hop culture as inspiration.

LA Garage

The LA Garage shares the form and materiality of the NYC Garage, but its approach to storytelling and placemaking is uniquely inspired by Los Angeles sports, including the 1984 Summer Olympics and the city's professional teams.

Surrounded by three sides of backlit glass showing iconic Olympic athletes, the expansive courtyard faces the campus daycare center and includes playful elements incorporated into the design, such as a slide into the courtyard, rubberized pyramids, a balance beam and a running track. Each level of the garage is themed with graphics and colors attributed to a different Los Angeles sports team, reinforcing the overall concept while creating an easier and more memorable wayfinding experience.

Bikes in each of the covered courtyards make it easy for employees to get around campus.

Nike Parking Garages 10 — Bikes in each of the covered courtyards make it easy for employees to get around campus.

Every space tells a story and every moment is imbued with meaning.

The transformation of traditionally utilitarian structures like parking garages into dynamic, human-centered spaces marks a significant evolution in otherwise mundane architectural design. It reminds us that when we infuse everyday spaces with humanity and purpose beyond mere functionality, we can elevate our collective experiences and create impactful moments that resonate deeply within us.

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