Grass Coated Green-Roofed Parking Garage Concept for Tokyo

Shinjuku Gardens is a new concept for the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/08/18/chicago-parking-garage-harvests-energy-from-windy-city-gusts/" target="_blank">urban parking garage</a> that looks to transform the typical parking lot into a multi-functional development, complete with an inhabitable <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/07/15/the-roof-the-roof-the-roof-is-a-farm/" target="_blank">rooftop garden</a>. As space comes at a premium in Japan - with public parks are even harder to come by - green spaces require creativity if they are to make their way into the dense urban fabric. As a response to the shortage, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/04/16/nunnmps-concept-office-is-a-workplace-on-stilts/" target="_blank">Cheungvogl</a> has proposed the Shinjuki Gardens, a grass-walled, two story parking garage that provides a public park space on its roof, without the sacrifice of a profitable place for business activities.

The green roof, green wall parking garage concept would elevate a public park to the 3rd floor, and still maintain space for viable and profitable business activities.

Back in feudal times, the creation of public parks and gardens was basically banned, so open space in Japan comes at a premium.

The addition of vertical fields of grass surrounding the garage also adds more vegetation to the city and helps filter the air of pollutants.

The public garden on the rooftop allows the citizens to have a place for rest and recreational activities away from the busy streets.

The two story parking garage would replace the ground level parking lot, doubling the amount of available parking spaces.

The interior of the garage walls and pillars would serve as a blank canvas for young artists and as a living museum.

The project would not only be a great public service in providing important urban green space, but would also give way to more parking space, which is also limited.

From the surrounding buildings, the view towards the green roof and green walled parking garage would be far superior to a view of a parking lot full of cars.

The green roof transforms the urban fabric from one centered around cars to one that beautifully camouflages them.

The park would be large enough for meandering paths, trees and other recreational space.