Long gone are the days when building a car park meant massive slabs of concrete with very little thought for the user experience. Modern car park design recognises that nobody wants to enter a dark, damp building full of exhaust fumes – especially when they’re likely to be paying for the privilege!

This week we’re going to take a look at some of the things designers consider during the process of bringing you a car park you can enjoy using again and again.

First impressions count

It’s a truism that first impressions count in all walks of life, and that’s definitely the case when it comes to a car park. Contemporary car park design recognises this fact and makes sure that the entrance is well light, spacious and easy to navigate. Designers will try to ensure that is uncluttered and welcoming while offering a sense of security.

Design

Modern construction techniques allow designers to create exceptionally strong buildings with less obvious reinforcement – it’s now possible to almost completely do away with columns between spaces. Older designs that featured multiple columns meant that almost every space required the driver to navigate around a large concrete structure. It’s an inefficient use of space, makes parking more challenging, and we’re glad to start seeing the back of it!

Flow

Ease of use is paramount to modern car park design. The designer must decide whether to use a one-way system or allow cars to flow in both directions – both have advantages in certain situations. A one-way flow works best with angled parking slots because these allow much better sighted reversing out of the bay, but it’s much more common to see parallel parking bays in the UK – we always recommend reversing into these bays for a safer exit.

User experience

A car park’s reputation will largely be down to two factors: location and user experience is crucial, but once you’re at the design stage it’s important to think about the people who’re going to be using the structure. We’ve talked about flow, design and first impressions already, but it’s also important to make your car park a good location for pedestrians – that’s why we’re situated a nice easy walk into Leeds city centre.

The lighter and airier the car park the better. A steel construction allows the structure to be well ventilated and lit, making it feel easy to navigate on foot and giving a sense of security – the fewer dark corridors and tight parking bays the better.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our brief insight into the effort that goes into making a modern car park, like Trafalgar Street, as enjoyable a place to visit as possible. Our primary concern is that you and your vehicle are safe and stress-free when you visit us.