The New York no-parking space in this picture has been re-purposed by artist Natalie Jeremijenko into a "NoPark," a mini-public green space in the middle of the city. Most of the concrete in the space has been ripped up and planted with low growth mosses and grasses. According to the artist, "These micro engineered green spaces prevent storm water run off, use foliage to stabilize the soil, and to provide a durable low maintenance surface cover…noPARKs recharge and replenish soil moisture on the block important to trees— even yards away— to help them dilute the gallons of uric acid poured on city trees plots each day by friendly neighborhood dogs."

NoParks also play on the concept of an "emergency." These parking spaces are designed for emergency vehicles, but Jeremijenko is concerned that nobody is instituting important designs to deal with the current climate crisis, something she considers to be a bigger emergency than any one house fire. Of course, in the case of a domestic emergency, a firetruck can still easily park in one of the NoPark hydrant spaces— NoPark plants were picked to be resilient, and should grow back after being crushed by a truck.

So far there are just a few NoParks scattered in New York City, but the Jeremijenko is hoping that more local communities will approve them for their neighborhood no parking zones. Check out a video of the project in action after the jump.

via The Environmental Health Clinic + Lab