J Vera - Parking Day: 2 Words

Relax
Reflect

   My words may seem simple at first glance, however; I feel that park(ing) day is all about persuading and promoting to the public the importance of taking a quick minute out of your day to relax and view a piece of your everyday life in a different way. A parking space is a commodity that we see everyday all around us, and it is usually something we ignore. I think it is a brilliant concept to transform such a space and give it back to the community. I feel that whatever ideas we come up with, our main goal for park(ing) day is to create a fun and stress free environment for the busy students of our school. At the same time, we are making a statement by showing them how most of our cities are more devoted to parking spaces and storage versus how little space we have devoted to parks and recreational areas and it is important for our society to preserve them.

Our spot on Holloway.

Looks very different when there are no people/cars around.

A play area for children at a local mall. I really liked the concept and layout.

Ashley Richards: 2 Words

Unexpected
Unusual

I chose these two words because not only will we, on PARK(ing) Day, create something that is unexpected, it will also appear to be very unusual to people on the outside. We might be faced with a lot of questions and comments about what we are doing. Some people might find it interesting while others, unable to find parking and in a rush to get to class, might think we're taking 4 valuable and hard to come by parking spaces at SFSU. In the rush to classes, I personally don’t take the time to sit in the grass, play a game or even relax, so in that sense PARK(ing) Day will be an unexpected and unusual experience for all who see it at SF State.

Group 1 - Natalie Rogers

Interact, Connect, Nurture

These words come into my mind when I think of PARK(ing) Day. I think a main focus of the day is bringing the community together (connect). When cars take up all the room on our streets, there are not a lot of places for people to gather and come together. This reminded me of a book I recently read called Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne. In a city in Europe (I forget the name) they closed off one of the busiest streets where cars were usually parked. It soon became a huge gathering area for people to come, sit and relax with others. PARK(ing) day doesn’t just give space back to the community, but designs the space in a way to attract people. I think a great way to attract people is give people some kind of activity that’ll be fun (interact). Lastly, this event for me is about giving back to the community in which we live, and caring about the decisions we make (nurture).

Passage of time

I chose these images because I heard about this park that was right next to my house that I had never seen. I was able to find it but it was such an odd set up. The first picture is from the side walk entrance. The second is of this path that leads to nowhere, and the third is of this huge slide in the park. That can not be up to code in anyway. I loved it!


I chose the phrase the “Passage of time” because it symbolizes movement. Trying to understand the value of this project, I reflected on my time spent in parks. I also wondered about my future time spent in parks. I realized that the meaning of going to a park has changed for me; as a kid it was a place to play, as a teenager it was a place to escape my house and kick it with friends, as an adult it is a place to go to with a partner or significant other to feel more connected, and as a senior I suspect I will see parks as a social gathering place. All I know is I have spent so much time in and around parks that they have become a significant part of my memories. I hope that some how in this project we are able to emphasize the importance and the human need for green space.

Tapia pics

designated spot, in front of handicap space, approaching from Centennial

from across the street

some cars double park

on the way to Centennial

Holloway pics

approaching from the handicapped spot immediately East.

the metered spot

across the sidewalk from parking place

vertical elements... cars come by fast.

looking up

garage pics

View of the garage and pedestrian bridge from campus

Proposed parking spot(s)

Most people come up the stairs and head to the bridge

Some people approach the bridge form the elevator

Some people come up the stairs and see the parking spots from below

Some people walk to the bridge across the roof of the garage