As the number of passenger cars in the world increases daily, so too does Earth's supply of parking spaces. In some cities, parking lots cover more than one-third of the metropolitan footprint--but their design and function has not been rethought since the 1950s. Here, urban designer Eran Ben-Joseph shares a different vision for parking's future--aesthetically pleasing, environmentally and architecturally responsible. He provides a visual history of this often-ignored urban space, introducing us to some of the many alternative and nonparking purposes that parking lots have served. He shows us parking lots that are lushly planted with trees and flowers and beautifully integrated with the rest of the built environment. With purposeful design, Ben-Joseph argues, parking lots could be significant public places, contributing as much to their communities as great boulevards, parks, or plazas.--From publisher description

A lot on my mind -- Pt. 1: A lot in common. Mediocrity ; Demand ; Functional ; Occupied ; Cost and consequences ; Lots of lifestyles ; Nature ; Public realm ; Mental domination ; First and last -- Pt. 2: Lots of time. Before the car ; Roads and curbs : a short history ; From street to lot : chaos to order ; From center to edge : decline and growth ; From one to many : regulate or not ; From black to green : adapt and mitigate -- Pt. 3: Lots of excellence. Integration--in ; Integration--out ; Flexibility=complexity ; Culture+art ; Event place ; Activism ; Remediation ; Gardens ; Water ; Design attention -- Musing a lot

Includes bibliographical references and index