Parking Garage / Structure
FAC-PGS-05 Parking Garage / Structure
Working assessment: this pattern’s status reflects a preliminary Commonway System judgment call, pending final review.
#Why this pattern exists
Where land value or density makes surface parking impractical, a structure trades footprint for height and circulation complexity, introducing its own set of design problems (ramp grade and turning radius, pedestrian egress from upper levels, ground-floor treatment facing the street) that a surface lot never has to solve. This pattern exists to document those structure-specific considerations separately from surface parking.
#Key considerations
- Ground-floor frontage facing the street should avoid a blank wall; active uses or architectural treatment help the structure read as a building rather than a void
- Pedestrian egress routes (stairs, elevators) should be direct, well-lit, and clearly wayfinding-marked from every level
- Ramp and turning geometry should be sized for the largest vehicle expected to use the facility, including service and emergency vehicles
#Related patterns
Surface Parking Lot (FAC-SPL-04) (lower-density alternative); Park-and-Ride (FAC-PNR-06) (a specific use case that may take structured form)
Unsourced claim
Formal citations for this pattern have not yet been compiled from primary sources.