The urban fabric of Los Angeles has long been dictated by the reign of the automobile; extra wide roads, six lane highways, and an abundance of parking lots are the physical manifestations of the city’s biased growth. In Downtown Los Angeles, the square footage allotted for parked cars triples that allotted for public use. The overpowering presence of the automobile has left Los Angeles a city for cars rather than a city for people. Park 24 is a conversion of a frequently used but under utilized urban space (parking lot) into a multifunctional space. The design of Park 24 is driven by the idea of coexistence: multi-purpose, multi-cultural, and multi-generational.

In Los Angeles, public space and public parks in particular have a negative stigma. Associated with homelessness, low income, and crime, rather than bringing vibrancy to the community, these spaces segregate the community based on social, economic, or racial boundaries. How can public space be designed to accommodate the wide diversity of people in the community? Cultural and religious festivals (Chinese New Years Festival, Rose Bowl Parade, etc) and public spaces in high-density cities (such as Central Park in New York or Victoria Park in Hong Kong) successfully engage different people groups. Which principles of coexistence can be extracted and applied from these examples?

Park 24 renews the car park into a space that exists for the both the automobile and the person. The five major spaces of Park 24 are designed for parking, entertainment, circulation, dining, and resting. Replacing the current surface level parking, the new parking garage will depress the garage space underground to free space on the ground level. The entertainment space will have open space for general seating, a children’s play area, a space for art exhibitions, and a space for informal performances. The circulation space is designated for use by bikers, joggers, and walkers. The dining space consists of a café/restaurant that serves the residents, the office workers, and visitors. The resting space is comprised of pods that can be used day or night.