An Ideal Parking Facility
Vehicular parking facilities play an important role in the efficiency of a country’s overall transportation
system. Parking availability can affect not only the destination, but also the means people will use to
reach a destination. The more difficult it is to find available parking the less likely people will drive their
automobiles to a destination. Lack of available parking also makes it more likely that people will utilize
public transit if it is available and relatively convenient. If there is a consistent abundance of available
parking, it may indicate the parking lot is too large creating unnecessary environmental impacts such as
increased stormwater runoff and heat island effect.
Determining the proper size, location, and layout of parking facilities are important decisions that we
must make to provide the most appropriate level of parking within a community. Facility types generally
include off-street surface parking, on-street parking, and structured parking (parking garages).
Parking facility design must reflect many factors including the amount of space available for the facility,
the number of parking spaces required by the destination's land use, environmental and site-specific
conditions. The following provides general design principles and guidance regarding the physical
elements to be addressed when developing parking facilities.
Functional Requirements
The facility should account for the complex spatial needs of the driver and the automobile:
The size, height, and turning radius of current automobiles as well as past and future trends of
automobile size and statistical quantity must be taken into account these are called parking
geometries.
There are many ramp design configurations and different ones are appropriate for the primary
purpose of the facility to ensure that your intended use is compatible with ramp design.
The streets surrounding the facility and their traffic flow must be taken into consideration when
planning entrances and exits and deciding on ramp designs.
The entrances and exits are very important to the smooth functioning of the facility, with the type of
use again determining the length from the opening and placement of the entry booths, as well as
the quantity of entrances and exits.
Zoning issues require the number of spaces for parked automobiles. The designer must work within
local codes such as the National Building Code of the Philippines to meet these requirements.
Optimizing site potential, by choice of site and its relationship to walking, driving, other
transportation linkages and good design opportunities.
The operation and maintenance of a facility is very critical. Revenue control equipment and other
issues related to the smooth functioning of the garage must be considered during the design
process.
Ventilation is an issue within some types and some areas of parking facility design. New technologies
are increasing the effectiveness in design and monitoring of these areas for concern. Natural
ventilation is always a good method however detailed study is required in some areas and types of
parking facility design to determine its effectiveness.
Lighting is a crucial aspect of parking and type, placement, and quantity needs to be carefully
studied to provide enough light for the users of the parking garage and not to spill out of the parking
facility affecting surroundings.
The efficient integration of structure is crucial to maximum functioning of the facility:
The parking facility is typically an exposed structure and must be designed to withstand all aspects
of environmental conditions.
There are ideal structural bays that allow for maximum number of parking spaces and flow of
automobiles dependent upon site and structure.
Cast in place concrete, pre-cast concrete and structural steel can be used for the structural design.
Typical construction issues such as natural hazards in the location of construction apply and
compound the solutions in designing a structure that is completely exposed to the weather and
constant movement from automobiles.
Size and length of some structures compound the expansion and contraction issues already of key
importance in facility design.
The surface of the "floor" of the facility is important to slippage issues as one must always design a
facility as a fully exposed building for the safe use by both the automobile and pedestrian.
Drainage and floor slope is very important, as ponding water can create long term maintenance
problems.
Safety and security of the people using the facility are of paramount importance:
Open, glass stairwells and glass-backed elevators.
Security devices such as video, audio and emergency buttons that call into the booth or local police
station.
Eliminate potential hiding places, such as under open stairs.
Handicap accessibility with vehicles close to stair and elevator cores having a direct path to key
movement patterns of the facility.
To avoid carbon monoxide build-up, air flow is adequately designed for through mechanical and/or
natural ventilation.
Non-slip floor surface
Cleanliness
Design for the points of intersection between man and the automobile for adequate safety of
movement.
References:
McDonald, S. (2021). Parking Facilities. Retrieved https://www.wbdg.org/building-types/parking-
facilities
McDonald, S. (2020). Parking: Outside / Structured . Retrieved from https://www.wbdg.org/space-
types/parking-outside-structured
Chescoplanning. (n.a.). Parking Facilities: Design. Retrieved from
https://www.chescoplanning.org/MuniCorner/Tools/ParkingDesign.cfm
