Finding a parking space on Allen Street will be a little more difficult than usual this Friday, as national PARK(ing) Day comes to State College. This Friday, students in the Stuckeman Architecture and Landscape Architecture programs will transform three parking spaces into a small green area as part of a national event to imagine a less automobile-based community.

PARK(ing) Day began as a small project in 2005, but has rapidly grown, as evidenced by 800 such “parks” across the country in 2010 in an effort to re-imagine a healthier environment with less concrete and pollution. “In urban centers around the world, inexpensive curbside parking results in increased traffic, wasted fuel, and more pollution,” says Matthew Passmore of Rebar Studios, a San Francisco-based art and design studio which established PARK(ing) Day.

To add a little spice to the event, students will compete for the most innovative green space. Under the instruction of Stuckeman School Professors Sean Burkholder and Jodi La Coe, three student teams will design “parks” to be evaluated on creativity, construction, and plans for recycling the project’s materials. Students and community members are encouraged to stop by the three parking spaces and vote based on the aforementioned criteria. More information about PARK(ing) Day events can be found here.

The State College PARK(ing) Day competition is made possible through a generous grant from the Stuckeman Endowment and assistance from the Landscape Architecture Student Society (LASS)

The parking spaces are located right outside Bill Pickles Tap Room on Allen Street near College Ave. So, when you’re done having a beer and are suprised to find a “park” has appeared where a car once sat, take a moment to appreciate just a little more green in State College.