In November 2018 we launched a tactical urbanism initiative that improves public space around schools. The new modular parklet, the PRKLT, adds sitting and green next to schools, discourages parents from bringing their children to school by car, and promote cycling and walking instead.

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In Rotterdam, many children do not cycle or walk to school but instead are taken by car. Parents have the best intentions: they want to get the children safely to school. Unfortunately, these individual choices lead to the opposite: school environments are filled with double-parked cars during drop off and pick up times, creating dangerous situations for children.

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The municipality wants to create better school environments and allow children to arrive at school by walking or cycling actively. Among other efforts, like better bicycle infrastructure, the city wants to upgrade school environments and replace on-street parking with mini-parks. One of the programs is the PRKLT: a colorful parklet that is placed outside schools and provides green, play, and sitting opportunities.

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The PRKLT is a modular parklet: in every location, it can be designed according to needs and wishes of the neighborhood. It’s is made of a stainless-steel, flexible base that can be placed on several parking spaces. The idea is not only to reduce parking space create more livable street and showcase that the city can look and be used differently.