Oxford St’s newest pop-up park

Two of Oxford St’s metered car spaces are today being transformed into little parks, as part of the annual worldwide event pArK(ing) Day. The event encourages citizens everywhere to transform metered parking spots into temporary parks for the public good.

Originally invented in 2005 by rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio, pArK(ing) Day ‘challenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad-based changes to urban infrastructure’.

Locally, urban design firm Spackman Mossop Michaels have installed two mini parks on Oxford Street, Paddington – just east of the Beauchamp Hotel.

“Our work is about making public places better for people – so where better than to start at home,” said Kylie Legge, director of Place Partners, an Oxford St-based architecture consultancy firm also helping out with the project.

“We’ve noticed the traders are having a hard time, so we wanted to bring a bit of positive attention to the neighbourhood, to get people to slow down as they drive past and look at what the area has to offer.”