Marvel designs public space to mark International Park(Ing) Day
Multidisciplinary architecture, landscape, urban and interior design firm Marvel will participate for the first time in today’s worldwide celebration of Park(ing) Day.
As part of the event and for only one day, two parking spaces with parking meters along Ashford Avenue in Condado will be transformed into a public space to promote recreation and community interaction between visitors and area residents.
“Park(ing) Day is an initiative that seeks to highlight the importance of public spaces for the well-being of a city’s residents, in contrast to the amount of space dedicated to the use of cars. In our case, we wanted to take the opportunity to present a model of a flexible and easy-to-assemble structure, which can be replicated in multiple scenarios: either as a meeting space, a kiosk, or even a vaccination center,” said architect and Marvel cofounder Jonathan Marvel.
Park(ing) Day began in 2005 as a project of the Rebar art collective in the city of San Francisco. It had its beginnings when a group of its collaborators occupied a parking space 8 feet wide by 20 feet long. What was originally a two-hour art installation has grown into an annual design activism event.
The trend started by Park(ing)Day to reclaim public spaces for the benefit of communities’ residents has only gained more strength because of the pandemic.
Traditionally, design schools and architectural offices in cities around the world participate in this event. This year facilities will be erected in places like New York, North Carolina, California, Illinois, Arkansas, Australia and Puerto Rico, among others.
Marvel’s proposal for Park(ing) Day 2021 consists of creating a multipurpose space, using scaffolding as support for a roof made of photovoltaic panels, which will power a system of inverters and batteries. The temporary installation, which will be constructed as part of the firm’s social responsibility efforts, will offer visitors music of different genres, an art installation, the ability to power electronic equipment and a space to take photographs and broadcast live to social media platforms such as Facebook.
The photovoltaic panel system to be used will be installed free of charge by IT Power.
According to its founder, Marvel seeks to promote initiatives that favor the sustainability and resilience of communities.
The Park(ing) Day celebration will open to the public and located along Ashford Avenue, specifically between the AC Hotel by Marriott and Via Appia’s restaurant. Strict compliance with safety and social distancing protocols will be observed.
