PARK(ing) Day is an annual, global event that takes place in numerous world cities. The idea behind the event is to encourage people and organisations to temporarily transform metered parking spots into PARK(ing) spots – temporary public parks.

PARK(ing) Day 2008, held on 19 September 2008, saw Brisbane lead the Australian efforts. With 47 PARKs, Brisbane was the third biggest PARK(ing) city worldwide.

Notable participants included; ‘Reverse Park’, a virtual green space, ‘Art Park’, a temporary art gallery, ‘Space Invaders’ whose space invasion literally included model ‘Space Invaders’ (yes, the ones from the game), ‘Block PARK(ing)’ by UQ students, where recycled milk crates became a simulated cityscape and HASSELL’s car-size paper boat.

HASSELL’s Brisbane studio was the only one of their 11 studios to take part on the day. The boat idea represented Brisbane as a river city, and echoed HASSELL’s design theme of ‘past, present and future’.

“The paper boat created considerable interest on and around Edward Street, in Brisbane’s CBD, and we will definitely take part again next year – hopefully all 11 studios,” says Nicky McGinn of Hassell.

The fun and antics of the day were also heightened by the additional challenge of having to move the boat, every hour on the hour to avoid parking fines.

www.parkingday.org
www.brisbaneparkingday.blogspot.com