Between Auto(mobile) and Building: A Study of Pedestrian Oriented Parking Lots

The automobile is undeniably an icon of our modern era. Decades of accommodating the automobile have dramatically transformed the shape and the quality of our physical environment. The typical suburban retail parking lot is one symptom of our automobile dependence.

Frequently the proposed solutions to sprawl development tend to minimize the economic and marketing appeal of a large surface parking lot. For many communities, the anticipated economic benefit and convenience of a suburban retail development overcomes any reservations about the appearance and effect of the associated sea of asphalt. A more achievable design goal might be a pedestrian-oriented parking lot. Is that feasible? What present and future advantages might be gained? What would it be like?

This thesis studies the typical commercial surface parking lot through observation and analysis, leading to the design of an infrastructural system of elements to develop pedestrian-oriented parking lots.