Working architect #1 : Car park

Car park design is important. Very important. I spent a whole week just re-configuring a multi storey car park podium design for a condominium. No, wait more than a week in fact. The issues are always the number of car parks and circulation flow. Good circulation flow is a must I would say because you need cars to be able to maneuver around. Technical knowledge would be useful here, the minimum access driveway width, turning radius, minimum car park size and so forth.

The other thing is the car park layout. This I feel would require some thoughts to it. Efficiency is prudent. I was designing a huge drop off area for the car park in order to create a grand and welcoming entrance for the residents lobby. Mr. Boss just took 2-seconds look at it and said: “If you do these kinds of designs, it is not efficient, you’ll sure get shoot by the client”. Instantly I thought, there goes my whole day of designing. Wasted. Yes, I have to admit I sacrificed a row of car parks for the drop off. I feel it would be a nice gesture for the residents to have a better entrance lobby but no, car parks are more important here. Designing car parks is a skill actually, designing an efficient layout with maximum number of car parks. Plus, those bulky service rooms and staircases should be placed strategically without compromising running distance. Design simplicity is best here to cut down awkward negative spaces. Designing with grid system can be useful and make things manageable.

  

Just last weekend, I went to KL sentral and parked my car there for 5 hours. Total fee was RM24. I was stunned! The first thing that popped up my mind was.... Yes, he's right.... The number of car parks is important. Car park can really earn a lot of money, tons of money.