Abstract:
The following final year architecture thesis /project explores the intersection between public space and parking as part of a mixed-use development. Whereas parking is the primary problem, a mixed-use plaza is presented as a development strategy to activate a section of Kigali City.
Parking has been gaining importance due to the increasing number of car ownerships and rapid urbanization. Therefore, it is essential to have a parking strategy that encourages parking management towards reduction in congestion, usage of cars and promotion of sustainable transport modes.
All over the world, there has been a paradigm shift towards providing maximum parking requirements, rather than minimum, to reduce the number of vacant parking spaces (during off peak hours) in the city, by efficiently managing those spaces for maximum utilization by providing adequate parking spaces.
I have used interviews, questionnaires, observations, site analysis and context analysis as methods to collect data where we have established that a mixed-use parking plaza is a viable solution. By providing public spaces that activate Kigali City Centre, the project will contribute to integration of social and economic activities.
