STREETSCAPE GUIDANCE

HOME
INTRODUCTION
PART A
A vision for London’s streets
PART B
From strategy to delivery
PART C
New measures for new challenges
PART D
Balancing priorities
PART F
Appendix
PART E
Physical design and materials
SECTION 6
Introduction
SECTION 7
High quality footways
SECTION 8
Carriageways
SECTION 9
Crossings
SECTION 10
Kerbside activity
SECTION 11
Footway amenities
SECTION 12
Safety and functionality
SECTION 13
Street environment
SECTION 14
Transport interchanges
Streetscape Guidance
[Part E – Physical design and materials] Street environment 309
Parklets
San Francisco, USA
Introduction of small urban parks
in underused car parking spaces
Key functions
Opportunity
The distribution of public open space is often
unequal in urban contexts. Where there a
shortage of public open space or the quality
of the public realm is poor the creative
use of space, such as parklets, should be
encouraged.
Benefits
San Francisco’s Parklet Program works to
convert underused parking spaces into
publicly accessible open spaces called
parklets. These are generally installed next
to the footway thereby extending the area
of useable space for pedestrians as well as
providing a range of facilities including seating,
cycle racks and landscaping.
Implementation
The programme has sought to install parklets
where there is a notable lack of public open
space or where existing footway width is
highly constrained. Parklets are designed
to be permanent, temporary or seasonal
structures which are financed and maintained
in collaboration with local councils,
business owners and non-profit community
organisations.
Applying in London
London’s Pocket Parks Programme has already
transformed underused or derelict spaces and
repurposed them for increased green space.
The introduction of parklets could seek to
improve constrained footways.