"A real office": workers use public parking as a shared workspace | towns

"If we design cities from scratch, would we choose to create car-centric spaces and the parking we have now?" Asked Victor Pontis, organizer of WePark. "Probably not."

In response, Pontis decided to turn a public parking space near San Francisco City Hall into a temporary outdoor work space. About a dozen people, including a handful of knowledge workers and at least two people between two jobs, arranged to fold chairs around two portable tables.

Several workers take their lunch in cartons of takeaway before returning to their inland offices. A young professional brought documents to read in the sun before a meeting. Late in the day, a cycling buddy gets up and puts a bowl of candy on a table announcing, "Like a real office!"

The San Francisco waterfall has gone viral on social media and WePark groups have banded together in Bristol, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, in an effort to turn public parking spaces into temporary offices within weeks to come up.

wepark
(@Weparkweparty)

Great first official day of WePark!

We had 3 events around the world today:

– @valdecarpentrie In France
– @graybright in Santa Monica
– @VictorPontis + 30 others in San Francisco. (Recap soon.)

And we hear others coming soon to a city near you! pic.twitter.com/cGnea3G9VQ

April 30, 2019

Pontis – the founder of Scooter Map, an application that helps cyclists locate electric scooters from several companies – is inspired by a mobile bike parking station who can legally occupy a parking space. Along with this project, WePark is based on the notion that public pay parking could be used for other purposes.

After making public its new office on the street on April 29th, a constant crowd of cyclists, walkers and public transit users passed during the four hours of its installation, paying the parking meter at approximately $ 1.50 per hour.

Instead of a location for a car or motorcycle, the space located near City Hall has become a vehicle for productive co-work and occasional socialization. People were on their devices – the city of San Francisco provides free wireless internet to the public – but they also chatted between pecking on their laptop and lunch.

One woman solved a 1,000-piece puzzle and was soon joined by a younger man. While they were sorting out pieces, she shared her job search difficulties, and he explained that he had moved to town four years ago for a job in the construction industry. technology and that he felt in conflict about gentrification. "Thank you for recognizing that," she murmured, explaining how many of her friends had been driven out of the Bay Area by exorbitant costs.

Pontis believes that the faithful have created a supportive atmosphere simply because people gathered in public places can create inclusive and safer spaces. "At WePark, no one felt the need to lock their bike," he says. "People left bags with others when they went to have coffee. People came to talk to us and get involved. We had a parking place. What could we do if we have more people in more places? "

WePark recalls several real and imaginary projects, including an episode of the American sitcom Broad City that included a gag about take charge and rent a sidewalk space.

In Southern California, Gray Bright, founder of the Santa Monica startup, has some experience of this type of stunt. Bright has an office on wheels that he used to host an internet talk show late at night. took the mobile workstation on a parking space on Ocean Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. "It's one of the most expensive places in the city!", He said laughing, adding that he had paid only a few dollars to work near a skyscraper at the water's edge.

But WePark reflects almost another original San Francisco idea: the parklets. What started in 2005 as a similar idea of ​​transforming parking spaces into modular and portable parks was finally turning into a worldwide movement. PARK (ing) Day: cities around the world were turning roadside parking spaces into spaces more green and friendly.

Despite their popularity, the installation of parklets in San Francisco remained stuck between 2015 and 2018 when the Planning Department suspended applications to move from the pilot program to its permanent phase.

Since the agency resumed processing applications late last year, restaurants are paying tens of thousands of dollars to install parklets in order to extend their service footprint. Some critics say it confuses members of the public, who are allowed to occupy the charming seating, no purchase required.

Now, WePark has become global. In the south of France, a remote worker settled on a narrow road in Toulouse and paid 1.50 euros per hour. And WePark groups have also merged elsewhere, organizers in Bristol, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, planning to claim compensation on public parking spaces in the coming weeks.

While Pontis admits that WePark has an intentional quality that fills the lead, the project indicates in an important way that the public space must be reserved for all. "You can use this space even if there is only asphalt under the sun," he says. "You just need an office and some friends."

Follow Guardian Cities on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to join the discussion, follow our best stories or subscribe to our weekly newsletter