Essentials In Parking Garage Design

The modern day parking garage design has evolved greatly from what was used a couple of decades ago. New ways of construction and organization have been brought about due to a number of factors. Perhaps the most important of these driving factors is limitation in construction space. Traditionally parking has often been done in open space in the middle of a commercial center or private property.

With the increased competition for land by both the private sectors and the governments of many cities around the world, land has increasingly become a scarce resource. It is no longer possible to set aside large tracts of land for construction of car parks. Many constructors now have to do with limited space and modify their designs in a manner that will help them maximize the available space.

Another major determinant of the direction that a design would take is the cost of building materials. Most of the traditionally used materials have continued to see their prices rise. This has led to the adoption of cheaper materials. The main drawback is that the cheaper construction materials may not be as effective as the conventional ones.

The increased intensity in the lobbying for environmental conservation has no doubt had its fair contribution in the shaping of this industry. Designers are now required to ensure that the materials they use in their construction are not harmful to the environment whether in the short term or in the long term. The main undoing of these measures is that they limit the available options.

Asphalt and concrete have remained popular building materials over the years. The reason as to why they are used to date is because they are not only effective but environmental friendly as well. Concrete is said to be much better for drainage as compared to asphalt and is for this reason preferred in poorly-drained areas.It is also important to ensure that the material chosen blends well with the rest of the building in terms of color apart from being environmental friendly.

Due to the foregoing challenges a number of trends are emerging in the design of the garages. For instance, the manner in which vehicles are parked has changed. The most popularly used styles where vehicles are parked at 90 degrees to each other. Not only does this increase space utilization, but also makes movement quite easy. This is mainly because the aisle is a two-way driveway that allows drivers to use either the left or the right side.

The number of cyclists and pedestrians has increased. The reasons for this are mainly two fold; the increase in vehicle traffic and the increase in campaigns against global warming. The designer needs to have this in mind as they create the garage. Mechanisms should be put in place to allow the motorists, pedestrians and cyclist to pass through the parking easily.

Advancements in technology have been well received in this sector. The advent of robotic parking systems in many cities all over the world has been a great stride towards dealing with lack of parking space. These systems allow the easy storage and retrieval of vehicles in the facilities. They are especially important in a vertical parking garage design.