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Debate currently rages in the Time Out office regarding the phenomenon of parklets. Where does a parklet end and a green begin? Who is making them and where can you see one? Some Doubting Thomases on our team claim parklets aren’t even a real thing. Unbelievable.
Folks: parklets definitely are a real thing, and we should be happy about that. They are well good. The thinking is this: London has successfully reduced the number of cars on its roads. In some neighbourhoods (Hackney for instance) a whopping 70 percent of residents no longer own a motor vehicle. What this creates is loads of unused, unloved parking spaces.
The one you can see in the above image was installed by Meristem Design, who have transformed eight drab parking spaces into four green, vibrant parklets across Fulham and Hammersmith. But these guys are not alone in their endeavour. Parklets have been popping up all over town. Witness the fitness:
A few London Parklet Campaigners completed a fantastic tour of some south London parklets today. We were inspired by the variety & individuality of each parklet. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/kvyHJDlI89
— London Parklet Campaign (@LondonParklet) May 1, 2021
What could be better than repurposing these vacant spaces for all sorts of other uses? We’re talking grass. We’re talking benches. We’re talking outdoor games. If you’ve recently spotted a Londoner idly swilling a glass of wine on what looks like a rectangle of grass surrounded by bits of a picket fence, you’ve seen a parklet.
Massive thanks to @BrendaPuech and @eilidhmurray3 for organising a tour of Parklets in Hackney and Islington covering council parklets and community led ones. Really interesting to see the differences. pic.twitter.com/zNCzb0myfQ
— Caroline Russell (@CarolineRussell) July 21, 2019
There’s even a London Parklet Campaign, dedicated to getting a load more of the mini spaces up and running, with help from residents and local businesses. According to the campaign, parklets (among other things) reduce social alienation, provide community focal points and don’t cost a bomb. All objectively good things, I think we can agree. Add your voice to their campaign right here.
This play street for London Car Free Day on Liverpool Road was organised by ICAP member Lucy “we had a brilliant morning, 20-30 children played together making new friends. Neighbours came out for a coffee and a chat at the parklet. It’s been a huge success” #londoncarfreeday pic.twitter.com/VdBrZnpJ71
— Islington Clean Air Parents (@air_parents) September 22, 2019
I’ll tell you where parklets definitely are a thing: Lisbon (this links to a foreign language). I asked Time Out’s very pleasant Lisbon editor Vera Moura why she thinks they’ve taken off big time in Portugal. ‘The first parklets in Lisbon were born after two lockdows and felt like a breath of fresh air,’ she says. ‘These small green oases in the middle of the city invite people to sit and just enjoy street life. The project started with two parklets: parking spaces converted into places to park people.’ Cheers, Vera!
Tour of South London Parklets: 1st stop: lovely parklet collection of planters on Elias Place, Oval (legal parklet in LTN) pic.twitter.com/yr1fDWKw0x
— Streets for people (@BrendaPuech) May 1, 2021
It was good while it lasted. The guerrilla parklet I installed 6 months ago has been removed by the Council today after a single complaint.
— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter) April 8, 2021
For the sake of one parking space, this parklet made hundreds of people happy and helped local businesses. Back to the status quo it is! pic.twitter.com/FzwnfbvyDC
See any new parklets pop up in your neck of the woods? Let us know.
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