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Rios Clementi Hale's parklet rains on Park(ing) Day in Los Angeles

Rios Clementi Hale's parklet rains on Park(ing) Day in Los Angeles

Park(ing) Day, the annual tradition of making micro-parks out of parking spots, calls attention to the need for public space in cities. A pop-up park by Rios Clementi Hale Studios in Los Angeles takes the educational imperative further with a parking space that teaches the benefits of stormwater capture—just in time for this winter’s predicted El Niño.

According to a 2012 district study by the Council for Watershed Health, the City of Los Angeles has the potential to capture the 5.5 billion gallons of storm water. Located across the street from the firm’s headquarters on Larchmont Boulevard, the design uses balloons of different sizes to represent water that could be recycled and reused.

According to the firm, a 24-inch balloon represents 30 gallons of potentially recycled water that could be used for a 15-minute shower. The project, which the designers whimsically call Paradise in a Parking Spot, is part of the firm’s multi-disciplinary efforts to address the drought. Designers are in the street all day to provide facts and tips on capturing water.

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