Reclaiming Street Space with Parklets in Glasgow City Centre

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Glasgow City Centre, Scotland

Working in partnership with Glasgow City Council, we designed, manufactured and delivered a large-scale parklet scheme that supports the city’s ambition to create a more pedestrian-focused urban environment.

Client: Glasgow City Council

Year: 2026

The project forms part of the wider transformation of Glasgow City Centre, reclaiming former on-street parking spaces and converting them into safe, accessible and attractive pedestrian areas. By extending the existing footways into the carriageway, the parklets create additional space for people while maintaining a flexible solution that can be installed with minimal disruption to the surrounding infrastructure.

Design development commenced in November 2025, with an ambitious programme established from the outset to deliver a fully functional prototype before Christmas. Through close collaboration with the council and project stakeholders, a complete working prototype was successfully manufactured and presented within the required timescale, allowing the design to be evaluated and refined ahead of full production.

The completed scheme comprises 97 individual parklet units installed across two key city centre streets. Forty parklets were deployed on Ingram Street, while a further 57 units were installed on Queen Street. Each modular section measures 2.4 metres in length and 2 metres in width, providing a robust solution that could be adapted to the varying site conditions encountered throughout the project.

Collectively, the installation has delivered a significant increase in pedestrian space within the city centre. On Ingram Street, the parklets provide 96 metres of continuous additional walkway, creating 192 square metres of new pedestrian area. On Queen Street, the installation delivers 136.8 metres of additional walkway, equating to 273.6 square metres of extra public realm.

Together, the scheme has created more than 465 square metres of additional pedestrian space, transforming areas previously dedicated to vehicle parking into accessible routes for residents, workers and visitors.

The parklets contribute to a more welcoming and people-focused streetscape, encouraging greater footfall and supporting local businesses that rely on passing trade. The scheme improves visual amenity, creates a stronger sense of place and helps establish a safer environment for pedestrians.

The project aligns with Glasgow City Council’s wider People First Zone and Avenues ambitions, which seek to rebalance how street space is used within the city centre. The initiative is intended to create a cleaner, safer and more attractive environment by prioritising pedestrians, improving accessibility and supporting active travel.