Park(ing) Day in Washington Heights

In October 2009, Richard Gonzalez of the Urban Design Lab participated in New York City’s Park(ing) Day, an event that involved participants in 100 cities around the world, with an installation in Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan. Gonzalez teamed up with fruit and vegetable vendors to create mini urban farm installations along metered parking spaces, selling fruits and vegetables along with an educational component. The annual international event invites participants to turn parking spots into “human-friendly places” for a day, with the goal of inspiring alternate visions of urban living and how cities divide common assets.