The Powell Street Promenade by “Pavement to Parks”

August 10, 2011
|In Landscape Architecture
|By jchan

The City & County of San Francisco, Union Square Business Improvement District (BID) and Audi of America sponsored “Pavement to Parks” recently completed project, The Powell Street Promenade. This “parklet” resides in the heart of Powell Street (from Geary to Ellis).

Conceptual Rendering of the Powell Street Promenade
Finished Construction of The Powell Street Promenade


Designed by Walter Hood of Hood Design Studio, the Promenade includes wifi that is available around the two-block parklet. The parklet is illuminated with LED lights that are powered by the energy collected from the installed solar panels. The aluminum standing tables, rails, benches, and bike parking are produced from long-lasting and reusable materials. The Powell Street Promenade is meant to be a space where one would like to get out of the hustle and bustle of the busy street and just want to watch, eat, and relax away. Installed by “Pavement to Parks.”

Pavement to Parks

San Francisco’s “Pavement to Parks” reclaims unused open spaces and quickly (and inexpensively) recreates them into enjoyable plazas and public parks. Inspired by projects in New York where nonfunctional areas were painted, treated with asphalt, and portable furniture was added to transform them into friendly plazas and seating locations. These new public spaces were transformed into more open pedestrian areas. Each project is testing grounds to see if the public is enjoying these new parklets on a day to day basis. The materials and designs are meant to be temporary and easily portable if changes must be made. Check out the previous projects that “Pavement to Parks” have worked on here.