Tokyo Parking Structure Adds Green Space to Cityscape with "Green Cladding"

Rendering of Shinjuku Gardens' exterior street viewShinjuku Gardens by Hong Kong-based Cheungvogl (Judy Cheung and Christoph Vogl) is a social, environmental and urban contribution, solely based on economical profit which deals with the cost of sheltered parking and green spaces within Tokyo.

Shinjuku Gardens is a 2 story car park, which replaces an existing open one, that doubles the number of spots available for vehicles. Considering the relative tightness of the space, ramps are replaced by elevators - within a 2 story circulation this is feasible, depending on lot-based car-lifting. Even by doubling the amount of parking spaces over two levels, the ground area is reduced by one fifth, thanks to a more effective layout which provides more free green space, along with the infiltration of rain water.

The structure's cladding is replaced by wide balustrades, providing the ground for grass to grow and camouflage the car park within. This creates 'green walls' which enrich the neighborhood's environment with vertical fields of grass, instead of the common view of parked cars. The top of the structure provides the actual new 'Shinjuku Garden', a publicly accessed green oasis above the facility.