Project Info
The Uptown Parklet was a small public park designed to fit within two parking stalls in the Uptown neighborhood of Seattle. Parklets convert on-street parking stalls into open spaces for the public. Permitted through the city of Seattle, they are a cost-effective way to enrich the pedestrian urban environment. This parklet was among the first few to be built in the city within a pilot program that was later expanded and made permanent. While this specific parklet no longer exists, it paved the way for many others in the city of Seattle.
My role in the Uptown Parklet involved community outreach and research, community design workshop facilitation, fundraising assistance, design and documentation, construction management, hands-on fabrication, and construction.
Project Detail
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2014
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Community Outreach, Spacial Design, Fabrication
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Community workshop facilitator, Designer, Construction manager
Public Outreach, Design charrettes
Together with the Uptown Alliance, a grass-roots non-profit development organization, I worked with my neighbors within a design charrette setting to author the goals of a public space that would work for all users.
Over the course of several workshops we honed in on a design approach that would seek to function as a respite at the end of a busy block, serving as a place to meet before heading to a movie at the SIFF Cinema, a place to sit outside and enjoy a coffee from a shop down the street, or enjoy a burger from the Dick's just across the street.
Conceptual Design Package
This document was presented to the Seattle Department of Transportation to compete for one of the initial permits for Seattle Parklets. Our proposal was accepted as one of several winners of the initial pilot program competition.
Construction
Contractor services were donated from Slater Construction, a small local builder. Construction took place during evenings over the course of several weeks.
Railing fabrication
I worked directly with local welders and powder coating facilities to create the custom railing system, which featured actual film reels donated from SIFF Cinema, the neighboring business to the Parklet.
Opening Ceremony
The Uptown Parklet's opening day saw particular significance, as it was used to announce SDOT's conversion of the parklet program from a pilot stage to permanent.
Opening Ceremony, Mayoral Speech
Featuring representatives of the Uptown Alliance, SDOT, and the Mayor of Seattle at the time, Ed Murray.