Super Parking Garage - LotusTalk

cerven · 12-26-2005, 04:40 AM

This sorta reminds me of the parking garage in I Robot. Guess you wouldn't have to worry about vandals but I'm not sure about the valets

Dave · 12-26-2005, 05:21 AM

Hope everyone doesn't want to leave at the same time.

Goose · 12-26-2005, 06:54 AM

Is this part of the "VW Stadt" or whatever it's called? I remember reading about an area in/around the Wolfsburg plant where customers can take delivery of their new VW's. Lots of nifty design elements such as this garage to wow the new VW owners. Kinda like VW Disneyland.

MaineLotus · 12-26-2005, 07:07 AM

Looks scary to me, no railings anywhere! Yeah, I don't like heights, I'd pass on the valet job.

ivan1 · 12-26-2005, 07:24 AM

looks like a VW vending machine

smoseley · 12-26-2005, 07:49 AM

Interesting concept, but it just wouldn't work:

Inability to service large ingress/egress rate (pointed out already)
Dependecy on mechanical devices (imagine if they stop working)
Dangerous (pointed out already)

IMO, the double-helix is the best, most efficient parking garage design out there, and can't be improved on. If you want more parking, just make a taller double-helix!

codymac · 12-26-2005, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transio

Interesting concept, but it just wouldn't work

It's not a concept....
http://www.autostadt.de/info/cda/mai...2~20~0,00.html

smoseley · 12-26-2005, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codymac

It's not a concept....

I see! Not a parking garage, either, though!

ivan1 · 12-26-2005, 08:05 AM

so it is a vending machine

smoseley · 12-26-2005, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivan1

so it is a vending machine

Seems so!!!

Looks like it's completely automated.

SweetDaddyD · 12-26-2005, 08:14 AM

The VW Autostadt. Supposed to be like a car enthusiasts amusement park. I like the building with the rotating Lamborghini mounted to the side. Can watch your car get built and then take delivery of it and ship it back to the states on a "car vacation". Yep, storage, not parking. I think Swatch actually pioneered this concept back when they were involved in the smart car partnership with Mercedes. They wanted the cars to look like they were in watch display cases, not sure if smart ever went through with it and Swatch's part got bought out anyway.

codymac · 12-26-2005, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by transio

Seems so!!!

Looks like it's completely automated.

Gives a whole new meaning to the term automat!

andykeck · 12-26-2005, 09:31 AM

I've seen at least a couple of other similar setups recently. The one that immediately comes to mind is part of a condo building in D.C. The private installations tend to be a little less fancy looking. I think these are most suitable for inner city installation where there might not be enough room on the property to even put in ramps.

http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/06/f...arking-garage/

P.S. Link says there's at least three of them here in the US. And a metric buttload of them in Japan.

JediMindGamez · 12-26-2005, 11:56 AM

Is it just me or does that remind anyone else of the Human Batteries in the Matrix

2slow4me1990 · 12-26-2005, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JediMindGamez

Is it just me or does that remind anyone else of the Human Batteries in the Matrix

yep, me too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by transio

Interesting concept, but it just wouldn't work:

Inability to service large ingress/egress rate (pointed out already)
Dependecy on mechanical devices (imagine if they stop working)
Dangerous (pointed out already)

IMO, the double-helix is the best, most efficient parking garage design out there, and can't be improved on. If you want more parking, just make a taller double-helix!

i cant imagine what would happen if the machine stopped working.

BrianK · 12-26-2005, 01:10 PM

Interesting trivia: The guy who designed the elevators in the St Louis Arch was formerly known as the guy who designed specialty elevators for automatic packing garage - his elevators hoisted cars up, down, side to side and diagonally... this was back in the 60's.

Serge · 12-26-2005, 01:27 PM

I have a friend that is from Japan and he says that they have similar parking garages in japan, due to a limit in space. I don't know if they use the same set up but it sounds like it from his description.

Trueweb · 12-26-2005, 02:04 PM

Very cool, I would assume they are completely automated... otherwise the risk to Valets would be quite high.

They should have designed it in a hexaganal shape. That way they could link sides together into clusters and 1/6th of all the cars in any column could be accessible by another column. This would add redundancy for mechanical failure and they could handle higher customer loads.

Imagine if they actually had things like this for real parking... I suppose with standardization something like this really could happen. Of course, liability would probably keep it from ever becoming a public reality.

12-26-2005, 04:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
cerven Elise Fondler Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: N. KY Posts: 1,244	Super Parking Garage This sorta reminds me of the parking garage in I Robot. Guess you wouldn't have to worry about vandals but I'm not sure about the valets Attached Images __________________ Eschew Obfuscation Got mine 03-25-05 Ardent /biscuit /touring /3M / hard top

12-26-2005, 05:21 AM	#2 (permalink)
Dave Mods are good for you Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,961	Hope everyone doesn't want to leave at the same time. __________________ 2008 Solar S240 Exige 2005 Saffron Elise - BOE TVS Supercharger 291WHP w/ EFI Engine Mgmt

12-26-2005, 06:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
Goose Bucket of Cold Water Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The cornfields of Ohio Posts: 1,078	Where is that? Is this part of the "VW Stadt" or whatever it's called? I remember reading about an area in/around the Wolfsburg plant where customers can take delivery of their new VW's. Lots of nifty design elements such as this garage to wow the new VW owners. Kinda like VW Disneyland. __________________ Kevin Magnetic Blue/Hardtop/Starshield - sold 5/17/05

12-26-2005, 07:07 AM	#4 (permalink)
MaineLotus Parts scattered about... Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Maine Posts: 1,385	Looks scary to me, no railings anywhere! Yeah, I don't like heights, I'd pass on the valet job. __________________ My car is modified.

12-26-2005, 07:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
smoseley Bubble Boy Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 12,132 Images: 8	Interesting concept, but it just wouldn't work: Inability to service large ingress/egress rate (pointed out already) Dependecy on mechanical devices (imagine if they stop working) Dangerous (pointed out already) IMO, the double-helix is the best, most efficient parking garage design out there, and can't be improved on. If you want more parking, just make a taller double-helix! __________________ - Steve Transio - Software Development & Web Design, Miami, FL

12-26-2005, 07:24 AM	#5 (permalink)
ivan1 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bedford, NY Posts: 6,279	looks like a VW vending machine

12-26-2005, 08:05 AM	#9 (permalink)
ivan1 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bedford, NY Posts: 6,279	so it is a vending machine

12-26-2005, 08:14 AM	#11 (permalink)
SweetDaddyD BANNED Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: ATL, GA Posts: 7,644 Images: 2	The VW Autostadt. Supposed to be like a car enthusiasts amusement park. I like the building with the rotating Lamborghini mounted to the side. Can watch your car get built and then take delivery of it and ship it back to the states on a "car vacation". Yep, storage, not parking. I think Swatch actually pioneered this concept back when they were involved in the smart car partnership with Mercedes. They wanted the cars to look like they were in watch display cases, not sure if smart ever went through with it and Swatch's part got bought out anyway.

12-26-2005, 09:31 AM	#13 (permalink)
andykeck Meow talk lotus one day? Join Date: May 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 4,929 Images: 1	I've seen at least a couple of other similar setups recently. The one that immediately comes to mind is part of a condo building in D.C. The private installations tend to be a little less fancy looking. I think these are most suitable for inner city installation where there might not be enough room on the property to even put in ramps. http://www.engadget.com/2005/04/06/f...arking-garage/ P.S. Link says there's at least three of them here in the US. And a metric buttload of them in Japan.

12-26-2005, 11:56 AM	#14 (permalink)
JediMindGamez Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Davis, Ca Posts: 1,028	Is it just me or does that remind anyone else of the Human Batteries in the Matrix __________________ You can't rationalize cars like these, they're not something you buy with your head, you buy them with your heart because you love them and who can explain love. All I know is I love my lil elise more then I like any other car...

12-26-2005, 01:10 PM	#16 (permalink)
BrianK very dude Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Los Angeles (Highland Park) Posts: 2,427	Interesting trivia: The guy who designed the elevators in the St Louis Arch was formerly known as the guy who designed specialty elevators for automatic packing garage - his elevators hoisted cars up, down, side to side and diagonally... this was back in the 60's. __________________ Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

12-26-2005, 01:27 PM	#17 (permalink)
Serge Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 65	I have a friend that is from Japan and he says that they have similar parking garages in japan, due to a limit in space. I don't know if they use the same set up but it sounds like it from his description.

12-26-2005, 02:04 PM	#18 (permalink)
Trueweb Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 292	Very cool, I would assume they are completely automated... otherwise the risk to Valets would be quite high. They should have designed it in a hexaganal shape. That way they could link sides together into clusters and 1/6th of all the cars in any column could be accessible by another column. This would add redundancy for mechanical failure and they could handle higher customer loads. Imagine if they actually had things like this for real parking... I suppose with standardization something like this really could happen. Of course, liability would probably keep it from ever becoming a public reality.

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