Spotted: People, 1, Cars, -1

This post expands on one of my earlier posts. Since I came across the first "Pavement to Park", I can't stop noticing them everywhere across San Francisco...I absolutely love it! 

Mojo Cafe, Divisadero St

Pizzeria Delfina, California & Fillmore

Pizzeria Delfina, California & Fillmore

My goal is to capture each one I pass by and add it to this post!

Wow! According to this NY Times article 'When the Parking Space Becomes a Park,' there are 51 of these "parks" around San Francisco, as of January 2015. One restaurant owner in the North Beach neighborhood has seen his business quadruple after installing one outside, so I'm betting more of these have popped up since the beginning of this year. According to the article, the idea originated in San Francisco with an arts collective, in order to challenge the automobile-centered approach to urban planning and design. And now, an international day on behalf of this idea has sprung up, called Park(ing) Day. 

Interestingly enough, the parklet I originally photographed is featured in the NY Times article with the co-founders standing in front of the 1973 Citroën H van, once used during the Tour de France. A few of the co-founders now head the San Francisco Gehl Studios (more about Jan Gehl in an older post).

A final glorious detail from the article. The original experiment in 2005 was considered a success after igniting human connection; after wandering onto the temporary parking-spot-turned-park and deciding the space was worthy enough to feed the meter, two strangers engaged in a spontaneous conversation.

Connection is beautiful!

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Source
The New York Times