3rd Places, Fabrication

Following our participation in Toledo Design Collective’s Park(ing) Day in Toledo, Ohio, mADE was approached by ConnecToledo to design and build two parklets for the City of Toledo. 

 

Our approach to the project was to create an exterior functional sculpture that is comprised of duplicated pieces and created a sense of enclosure. By design, a parklet is located within a street parking space and in order to give people a sense of security from passing traffic we created a slatted structure that extends and curves to envelope those within. The use of Corten steel planters with tall grasses provides additional privacy and reinforces a park-like setting.

 

For the primary structure we milled 4’x8’ sheets of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic for the enclosure and the fixed seating. The slats allow for the adjacent business to maintain visibility through the structure to the street. Each of the two parklets is made up of three modules that join together and can also be separated to be moved to another location or stored in the off-season. 

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These parklets have been a welcomed addition to downtown Toledo and provide local businesses with outdoor patio space where they had previously been without.