(PARK)ing Day

The (PARK)ing Day project intends to promote creativity, civic engagement, and social interaction while calling attention to urban spaces and the way that they are used. (PARK)ing Day began in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio, converted a parking space into a temporary park in an effort to critically analyze the values that shape urban public space. Rather than replicate the project in other cities, Rebar created a model that allows individuals to create their own temporary installations, and as a result PARKing Day was born. Since then, a global movement of independent activists has followed an established model to create temporary public uses in parking spaces worldwide. Examples of PARK(ing) Day creations include temporary urban farms, ecology demonstrations, political seminars, art installations, bike repair shops, and a wedding ceremony, all in metered parking spots. While the design of the spaces varies significantly, the basic goal is the same: organizers identify community needs and values and use the PARKing Day event to draw attention to those. This year’s PARK(ing) Day event will be held on September 16, 2011.