Good urban planning and design are critical for making a neighborhood a welcoming place where people want to be. In this series of articles, Planning Principles, we’ll provide examples of how the Rosslyn BID has employed urban planning and design best practices to transform Rosslyn’s urban core into a vibrant, active place.
Sit back and relax!
Rosslyn's parklet—the first in Arlington County—reclaims parking spaces as public spaces
The Rosslyn BID launched a parklet on May 31, 2018, the first permanent parklet installation in Arlington County and the DMV area! Installed in two parking spaces at the corner of N. Oak St. and Wilson Blvd., the parklet includes tables, chairs and plantings. It is an informal gathering spot where people can relax and enjoy outdoor seating away from the hustle and bustle of their busy lives. Rosslyn's parklet is serving as a pilot project for Arlington County.
The space is open to the public and equipped with chairs and tables echoing streetscape elements designed by Ignacio Ciocchini, the industrial designer of furnishings at Bryant Park in New York City, for the broader Streetscape Elements Master Plan, which was approved by the Arlington County Board in June 2017. These Rosslyn elements aim to offer a unifying and modern aesthetic to the public right of way.
PARK(ing) Day
PARK(ing) Day is an annual event that began in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco-based interdisciplinary studio, turned a parking space into a public park. What began as an art experiment is now an internationally recognized event transforming parking spaces around the world every third Friday of September. Parking spaces have been reimagined with everything from seating and greenery to art pieces and activities. People are encouraged to consider the way we currently use road space and how these spaces could be used differently, especially to serve those in places with limited public space.
A growing urban design trend
The parklet, a mini-park that extends the sidewalk and reclaims space previously reserved for parking, is a growing urban design trend that is enhancing neighborhoods in cities large and small. According to the American Planning Association's Planning Magazine, the number of parklets in the U.S. has grown exponentially: In 2010, there were only eight parklets in the U.S.; at the end of 2011, there were close to 30; and by 2015, close to 190 parklets had sprung up across the country.
Planning Magazine says studies have shown that parklets help boost retail and pedestrian activity. They typically are established next to places that sell food and drink, and are hosted and maintained by those businesses. Nationally, just a quarter of parklets are developed in collaboration with a local nonprofit like the Rosslyn BID.
"It's great that Rosslyn has brought parklets to Arlington," says Douglas Plowman, the former Rosslyn BID urban planning and design manager. "The parklet has been a great additional public gathering space in the core of Rosslyn."
PARK(ING) Day is an annual event that began in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco-based interdisciplinary studio, turned a parking space into a public park. What began as an art experiment is now an internationally recognized event transforming parking spaces around the world every third Friday of September. Parking spaces have been reimagined with everything from seating and greenery to art pieces and activities. People are encouraged to consider the way we currently use road space and how these spaces could be used differently, especially to serve those in places with limited public space.