In case you missed it, Parking Day 2021 was this past Friday, September the 17th, and it was another wonderful success. Parking Day, started in 2005 in San Fransisco, is now an international day every year in which downtown parking spaces are overtaken and transformed into spaces for pedestrians. It's a fun and creative day which shows the potential of taking a small space and re-imagining it for people! It's true community design! Locally it is co-hosted by AIA East Tennessee, ASLA East Tennessee, and us.
In 2020 Parking Day Knoxville was moved to a virtual event, with designs being submitted and judged online and no physical structures being built, but this year it was back in person again, and the 400 Block of Gay Street was filled with fun, interactive spaces for people from 9am to 5pm. There were awards given for first through third place. Winners were: McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects (1st - see image below), Knoxville Utilities Board (2nd), and Cope Architecture (3rd).
A full series of photos from the day can be found on our Flickr page here.
We're thankful for everyone that participated this year and hope to see you next year for Parking Day 2022!