Parklets, San Francisco

Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co: Woodworker Frank Peck unloading the crates containing the unassembled pieces of timber

(Image credit: press)

last updated 28 October 2022

Even in a city that practically invented eco-consciousness, Andres Power is one urban planner with some serious chutzpah. The 30-year-old San Francisco native heads up the city’s Pavement to Parks initiative, which not only develops green spaces in the city centre, but also creates them from perhaps the most coveted real estate possible: parking spaces. Called parklets, these public spots are lined with greenery and welcome cyclists and pedestrians alike.

The parklets are spare in form, simple in function, yet brazen in execution in such a car-centric city. The first two arrived last spring, taking over two or three former parking spots fronting accommodating businesses such as cafés or bicycle shops. Four more parklets are planned for 2010, while a giant version taking 30 spaces along two blocks is planned for early next year.

‘With this project on the ground,’ Power enthuses, ‘we’ll finally be able to say that we’ve truly reclaimed the street for people.’

**Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co**
Peeling aside the protective layers covering the timber strips

**Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co**
The timber strips revealed

Pieces with different widths — **Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co**
McMakin prefers to work with timber that’s cut into pieces with different widths

**Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co:**
The crates of timber for the flooring arriving at Big Leaf Manufacturing’s workshop where the timber is processed

******Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co:**
A quiet moment before work begins on the timber strips

******Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co:**
A consignment of timber strips waits to be transformed into flooring

Warehouse at Big Leaf Manufacturing — **Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co:**
The crates of timber in the warehouse at Big Leaf Manufacturing

**Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co**
Prepping the timber for cutting

**Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co:**
At Big Leaf Manufacturing

**Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co:**
A worker at Big Leaf Manufacturing

A worker at where most of Roy McMakin’s projects are prepped — ******Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co:**
A worker at Big Leaf Manufacturing where most of Roy McMakin’s projects are prepped

Machines used to work on the floor boards — ******Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co:**
One of the machines used to work on the floor boards

Finished floor showing the irregular joins — **Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co:**
Detail shot of the finished floor showing the irregular joins as designed by McMakin

**Roy McMakin for Ebony and Co:**
McMakin and his new floor for Ebony and Co (the collaboration was brought about by Wallpaper's Handmade issue, W*137)

One of Andres Power’s parklets — **Parklets, San Francisco**

One of Andres Power's parklets (a former parking spot now reclaimed and turned into a green recreational space) on San Fran's Divisadero Street

**Parklets, San Francisco**
Andres Power, in front of one his reclaimed parking places

Cafes or bicycle shops — **Parklets, San Francisco**
Taking over two or three former parking spots, the Parklets accommodate businesses such as cafés or bicycle shops

Another photo of Cafe and cycle shop — **Parklets, San Francisco**
Four more parklets are planned for 2010, while a giant version taking 30 spaces along two blocks is planned for early next year.

Blueprints for his venture — **Parklets, San Francisco**
One of Power's blueprints for his venture

Public spots are lined with greenery and welcome cyclists — **Parklets, San Francisco**
These public spots are lined with greenery and welcome cyclists and pedestrians alike to take some time out

Black blank image and unframed: lacma blog written

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Inside the Resnick Exhibition Pavilion. 'The 2000 Sculpture', 1992, by Walter De Maria

The open-plan museum — **The Resnick Pavilion at LACMA**

'The largest purpose-built open-plan museum in the world,' according to The Los Angeles County Museum of Art

**The Resnick Pavilion at LACMA**
The all-glass entrance

**The Resnick Pavilion at LACMA**
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Inside Renzo Piano’s vast structure — **The Resnick Pavilion at LACMA**
Inside Renzo Piano's vast structure. 'The 2000 Sculpture', 1992, by Walter De Maria

**The Resnick Pavilion at LACMA**

Inside the pavilion

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