The International
Parklet Manifesto

What is a parklet?

A parklet is a public space situated in the roadway along the curbside. Typically, these spaces are converted from car storage into a place for people to sit, relax, and engage with the urban environment. Parklets often include seating, tables, planters, bike racks, and sometimes art installations, transforming spaces originally designed for cars into human-friendly, social areas. They are installations that fit within and adapt to existing hardscape, and can be in place for months and even years at a time.
Parklets are a unique public space type that are distinct from another similar type of space oriented towards commercial use of the curb lane. These spaces are known as Patios, Streateries, Terrasas, Dining Sheds, Dehor and a number of other names. For the purposes of this piece we will use the term Streatery to describe commercially focused curblane spaces.

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Key Features of Parklets - Curbside Public Spaces

Repurposing of Space Used for Cars: Parklets are created by converting spaces in the road along the curb - usually car storage spots - into pedestrian access areas
Publicly Accessible: Operated or funded by both public and private entities (e.g.,municipalities, businesses, or community groups), parklets are publicly accessible
Temporary or Semi-Permanent: They can be seasonal or set up for longer periods, but they are usually designed to be removable.
Amenities: They often include moveable seating or fixed benches, greenery, shade, lighting, or bike parking, public art and science exhibits, and provide a mini urban oasis for pedestrians.

Key Features of a Streateries– Commercial Curbside Dining Spaces

Repurposing of Space Used for Cars: Streateries transform curbside parking spaces into private or semi-private outdoor dining areas for restaurants, bars, and cafés.
Commercially Exclusive: Unlike parklets, streateries are typically reserved for paying customers of the establishment that operates them, with limited or no public access.
Temporary or Seasonal: Streateries can be seasonal or longer-term installations, often regulated by city permits, and designed to be removable when needed.

Amenities: They are outfitted with tables, chairs, planters, lighting, and sometimes weather protection, providing an extended dining experience in the street right-of-way.

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Purpose and Context of the Parklet Manifesto

The purpose of this Parklet Manifesto is to establish the vision, values and trajectory for the creation and use of parklets worldwide.

Historical Context

Historically, streets in cities served as multifunctional spaces for transportation, public life, and commerce, where pedestrians, vendors, and social activities coexisted with various forms of transportation. Streets were dynamic places that facilitated community interaction, markets, and civic activities. However, in the age of the automobile, particularly in the early 20th century and especially in the Americas, streets gradually evolved to prioritize individual mobility in private automobiles over their traditional uses. Sidewalks were narrowed as streets were widened. According to historian Peter Norton in his book Fighting Traffic (2008), this shift was driven by a concerted effort from auto industry advocates who reshaped the concept of streets as spaces primarily for cars, introducing the idea of "jaywalking" to delegitimize pedestrian use of streets. Urban planning and design increasingly favored car-centric infrastructure, resulting in streets becoming less accessible for pedestrians and public life, and more focused on moving vehicles efficiently, often at the expense of community interaction and commerce.

Tactical urbanism (Lydon and Garcia, 2015) originated as a grassroots approach to urban design, using short-term, low-cost, and temporary interventions to catalyze long-term, strategic change in the use and function of streets and public spaces. The movement emerged in the early 2000s as cities and communities sought creative ways to reclaim urban spaces for people, testing new ideas for improving livability without the need for large, immediate investments. Parklets are part of a global movement that empowers communities to experiment with reclaiming streets for social interaction, walking, and cycling, ultimately driving long-term policy and design changes towards more sustainable, people-centered cities.

The evolution from Park(ing) Day to the parklet movement highlights a shift in urban design towards reclaiming public space for people. Park(ing) Day began in 2005 in San Francisco as a creative, grassroots event where artists and activists temporarily transformed metered parking spaces into public parks to critique the dominance of cars in cities and advocate for more green spaces. This spontaneous act of urban activism inspired the formalization of the concept into permanent parklets. The government of the City and County of San Francisco recognized the potential of these small public spaces and in 2010 launched the Pavement to Parks program, a tactical urbanism initiative institutionalizing parklets as a public space. The government played a crucial role by creating a framework for businesses and community groups to apply for permits, turning parking spaces into pedestrian-friendly areas that promote community engagement, sustainability, and enhanced urban livability. The success of San Francisco’s parklet program paved the way for similar initiatives in cities around the world, demonstrating how small interventions can lead to lasting urban transformation.

While Parklets were originally conceived as a temporary use that would lead to more long-term strategic change in the role and function of streets, they have evolved to become their own discrete public space type.

On the occasion of Park(ing) Day 2024 - its 18th consecutive year - the first International Parklet Symposium was convened in Bologna, Italy to share public space innovations from around the world and to develop this Parklet Manifesto.