We love planters, and we love food! Today we look at Parklets -- planter-based structures that transform street parking into vibrant outdoor dining areas that protect patrons from Traffic while driving revenue for restaurants, and improving the tax base for cities.
Anatomy of a Planter-Based Parklet | Safety First
"What is a Parklet?" you may be asking. Well, simply put, it is outdoor seating that occupies street parking. These portable structures have a few design elements in common. Namely, they are designed...
...using heavy planters as safety barriers protecting patrons from cars
...using open guardrails to define the space and withstand 200 ft of horizontal force
...using tall planters and design elements to ensure visibility
...to occupy full parking spaces without extending further into roadways
...using built-in or movable seating and tables transforming parking into vibrant space!
Planternomics | 29% Revenue Boost
According a San Francisco study, "Average revenue grew by 29%...in the year following a Parklet application...with 90% confidence...". A related study examining the impact of parklets on Valencia St, Polk St, and Stockton St concludes "Parklets and the increase in activity they attract make nearby businesses more visible. The number of businesses applying for parklet permits clearly indicates that they see an economic benefit to investing in these new public spaces".
Stockton Street in particular saw impressive gains including a 44% increase in foot traffic per hour along with sharp increases in survey-based perceptions of the street.
Planter Based Parklets | In Designs
For inspiration, I scoured the Internet to find examples of good design. Below are a few of the renderings I found out there.
Planter Based Parklets | In The Wild
Now for the fun part. I found some amazing examples in the wild! My favorites are the red one below, and the stainless steel ones below that. There are so many examples -- these are just a few.
About Steel Nature
Steel-Nature.com builds custom planters in steel or aluminum for use on residential and commercial rooftops, plazas, and as you may have guessed -- restaurant Parklets.