Underground car park
A car park is a designated area or building where cars and other vehicles can be parked and left temporarily. In American English, it is referred to as a ‘parking lot’. Car parks are a common feature of the built environment, and often adjoin shopping centres, public buildings, schools, sports or entertainment venues, and so on.
For more information, see Car park.
Underground car parks are parking facilities that are built beneath the ground, either in the basement of a building or beneath a street. The primary advantage to this type of car park is that it can be developed in high-density urban areas where street-level space is at a premium. It is also hidden from view, and can provide enhanced security and weather protection for vehicles. However, access to and from underground car parks can be complex, as can building services such as lighting and ventilation, and they are typically expensive to excavate and construct. Security and safety measures must also be in place to prevent authorised access, provide surveillance and to facilitate escape in the event of an emergency.
Underground car parks can be constructed using steel sheet piles as a retaining structure, and concrete floors can be designed to stabilise the finished structure.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Basement excavation.
- Car park.
- Integrated transport system.
- Multi-storey car park.
- Planning (Subterranean Development) Bill.
- Overview of the road development process.
- Road traffic management.
- Tired of the commute? It might be time to take cars underground.
- Traffic engineering.
- Transport design and health.
- Types of road and street.
- Underground.
- Underground space.
Featured articles and news
The infrastructure planning process
A look at the Government's strategic approach.
Steps to help reduce the spread of infection inside buildings.
Urban exploration and construction
This social media-centred hobby can be both dangerous and illegal.
Millwork wall treatment with a long and illustrious history.
Weekly workplace noise estimator tool
HSE introduces cumulative exposure calculator.
The Edwardians and their houses.
Cut off from civilian life for over 900 years.
Can net zero and levelling-up align?
Gaining green support from the carbon giants.
Medieval passageways with spiritual, transport and economic purposes.
CIOB applauded for people management leadership
Organisation receives accreditation from Investors in People.
Receive the Designing Buildings newsletter
Click the button to subscribe.
The importance of successful crisis messaging
Communicating the right information at the right time.
Angular selective shading systems
Materials can take on different properties to control heat and glare.
Challenges in the construction sector and beyond.