The World’s Coolest Car Parks 2018
# 3: Victoria Gate Multi Storey (Leeds, UK)
Architects: ACME
An extension of Leed’s Victoria Quarter and the retail district, the Victoria Gate Multi Storey car park is part of a scheme that includes a department store, the car park and two arcades with a mix of shops, restaurants and leisure facilities. The architects behind the scheme, ACME, wanted to make sure that the car park was separate from the department store – but at the same time, acknowledged that the buildings had a shared purpose and a relationship through the façade.
Taking architectural inspiration from Leed’s history, the car park is visible from all the main roads; a twisted, aluminium fin cladding creates a diagrid pattern across the façade. This is emphasised by the shadows that are generated by the cladding; the façade also provides daylight and natural ventilation.