Garages: More than Just a Space to Park

Booster Blog

garages: More than just a space to park

The car park is more important than you might think in the customer experience. It’s where it all starts and it’s where it all ends. It has an integral part to play in a comfortable user experience.

There’s a number of ways that the parking lot can be enhanced to accommodate for the comforts of the user. Some of them are direct solutions to problems that might be faced when it comes to maintenance and cleanliness.

Unfortunately, parking lots can often be devoid of toilets, which, even more unfortunately, can lead to rather messy circumstances. Such a circumstance consists of some very vulgar smells. To make things worse, parking lots are notoriously difficult to ventilate. So how to approach such a problem? No one wants to start or end their weekly shop with ‘essence of toilette’ in their nostrils. Hundreds of parking lots have been seeking a solution to this sticky situation, and many have succeeded.

The use of scents has been incorporated into the maintenance of the building. It adds to the sense of comfort and cleanliness. Plus, it actually lessens the probability of such a situation taking place. If it smells clean, people are less likely to reoffend. It’s a win-win!

However, whilst cleanliness is important, the purpose of the fragrance goes beyond this. It contributes to the overall experience of the user.

 For instance, in spring, there might be an application of floral scents. Whilst in the festive season there might be a fragrance of pine trees to encourage those Christmassy feelings.

Another way parking lots are being revitalized is through art. The perception of an ugly concrete block with no personality is being pulled apart piece by piece. A lot can be done with lighting alone, but now art murals can be seen reshaping the atmosphere of car parks. Maph Paint Productions is a company that specialize in bringing such spaces to life.

Proving further that the days of grey, drab, smelly parking garages are over is 11 11 in Miami. With a contemporary design, the space is a residential, shopping, dining, and parking combo. In fact, the structure has even hosted weddings and parties.

Also not your traditional parking lot is Bjarke Ingel’s ‘Mountain’. In a country where hills are as uncommon as space aliens, The Mountain adds an interesting dynamic to the landscape. It’s a multi-storey car park that houses an entire slope of penthouses. The carpark becomes an integrated living space, rather than a single functioning tower block.

There’s no doubt that the function of the car park is expanding. One purpose structures that depress more than they elevate are a thing of the past. Now the challenge is to create a space that serves more than just as a space for your car.