By Camille Nicholson


Owners and developers of real estate need parking solutions that are cost-effective for residential, commercial as well as institutional buildings. Parking garage designs should take into account the appearance and the functionality of the unit. Of all the areas in and around a building, the car park is one of the areas used very frequently and by almost all the visitors to a building. There are a number of important aspects that need to be taken care of before the lots become operational.

It is important to have an idea of the expected number of users so that the spaces are neither too many nor too few. In most cases, it is possible to come up with a rough estimate based on the specific use of the facility. The busier the building, the more the spaces required. Apart from the anticipated motor traffic, the other major determinant of the number of spaces is the local governing law as regards similar structures. One will need to be well conversant of these well beforehand.

The physical location of the facility impacts greatly on the final design. A garage located in a hot climate, for example, requires a lot of cooling as compared to that in a relatively cool area. This means that there will be need to cool the environment by planting enough shade trees in the lot. Areas receiving lots of rainfall require more efficient drainage systems compared to those that do not.

Appropriate materials need to be considered depending on what the emphasis in each case. The most important thing may be the aesthetic appearance of the garage. It may as well be the functionality. If drainage is an anticipated challenge, one may have to choose concrete over asphalt for example. This is because the former allows better permeability of water than the latter. The material chosen should blend with the rest of the landscape.

It should also be decided whether or not there will be reserve car park spaces. If there is need for such, one needs to choose between gated and key-card access depending on the preferences of the facility owner. The location of handicap parking should be such that it is easily accessible. It should also be close to a ramp leading to the building.

Space is more often than not limited and has to be optimised in the best way possible. One of the popularly used designs is a layout in which all vehicles are parked at an angle of 90 degrees. In such an arrangement the aisle is typically a two way driveway that allows drivers to park either to the left or to the right. Vehicles face each other when parked form adjacent aisles. This design is one of the most efficient in land use.

The advent of robotic parking systems in many cities all over the world has been a great stride towards dealing with lack of space. In these systems, the garage is often a large building comprising several storeys of parking space. These range from 4 to about 30. They utilize state-of-the art technology to increase the efficiency of storage and retrieval of vehicles. Driveways and ramps have been replaced with conveyor systems and lifts.

Ideal parking garage designs are very flexible. They can accommodate other onsite facilities such as ATMs, hydrants, grocery stores, bus stops and so on. There is room for access by ambulances and fire-fighting services in case of emergencies. One of the most effective ways of achieving flexibility is through the creation of islands.




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