Australian civic authorities planning aluminium architectural upgrades for car parkings

The civic authorities in Australia are planning major facelift for their car parking facilities across important cities this fiscal. While there are some reports that indicate a dip in car ownership due to younger generations shunning cars in favour of car sharing, the recent ABS figures show car ownership remains high, with 12 million vehicles currently on Australia’s roads. With so many cars, the question turns to increasingly stretched parking facilities.

The planned modernisation could include improvements in the facilities’s façade, or more practical changes to the car park’s internal layout. The resulting benefits are not just about delivering a better car park experience, but also providing safety benefits, such as improved driver orientation, wayfaring, or undertaking an audit of the facility to ensure it complies with current Australian Standard AS2890.1.

It is reported that a growing number of local architects and designers are enthusiastic about embracing the opportunities that car parks can present. Designers are increasingly using creative façade applications to make the buildings visually engaging. One notable project is the Brisbane Airport car park, which features a 5,000 square metre kinetic façade made from 118,000 suspended aluminium panels that appears to ripple fluidly in the wind and features an intricate design reminiscent of the Brisbane River.

As important capital assets, continued improvements to car park facilities are vitally important to ensure they engage users while delivering attractive returns for owners and operators.