I, Robotic Parking

Posted on | July 22, 2008 | No Comments

There are significant advantages to robotic parking structures, including better land use, low operating cost, and modular construction. It can also be safer and offer fewer hassles to customers.

I’m fascinated with robotic parking garages for several reasons. The first is that I initially encountered the idea in science fiction novels; see the references for the aptly named robopark from Robert Heinlein’s 1941 story Methuselah’s Children and the grapple tracks in the automated parking building from Frank Herbert’s 1977 novel The Dosadi Experiment.

Oh, and don’t forget the very cool visualization of a robotic parking garage in the movie I, Robot.

(Robot parking garage from iRobot movie)  I’m  also fascinated by the idea of huge machines, especially machines large enough to encompass entire cities or planets. In particular, I’m thinking of what is probably the canonical example, the vast Machine from EM Forster’s The Machine Stops, published in 1909. Also, don’t forget the machine city from John W. Campbell’s 1934 story Twilight. I also liked Clifford Simak’s description of the metal calculator planet from his 1949 story Limiting Factor.

Adapted from Bill Christensen of Technovelgy

How Mechanization Can Help Cities Rethink Parking

Posted on | March 17, 2008 | No Comments

The parking garage is a frequently contentious and often maligned building type, but it is also a very important building type that offers many solutions to address today’s numerous complex issues of architecture, sustainability, transportation and planning. With the development patterns in the United States spanning from the density of New York City to the sparse rural countryside and everything in-between, providing Americans with choices concerning transportation and lifestyle is crucial. Parking is always a part of this mix and studying the evolution of the typology offers many insights. As the issues of long-term sustainability of communities are coming to the fore in discussions of financial viability and environmental concerns, the parking garage can provide the links and connections necessary by allowing the development of walkable communities within a networked transportation system, creating greater sustainability. Read more

The Valet You Don’t Have To Tip

Posted on | April 1, 2004 | No Comments

The new first law of real estate: location, location, robot parking garage. Read more