When we founded Parkly, we set out to develop modular urban furniture rooted in circular economy principles. We observed that temporary pop-up parks often became permanent fixtures, yet their components weren’t built to last, leading to less-than-ideal aesthetics and frequent repairs. We realized that flexibility is crucial for many projects – enabling decision makers to embrace experimental and tactical initiatives, with the same furniture ultimately serving permanent needs.
It starts with design
Many people equate circularity solely with the use of upcycled materials. While we strongly support circular design and economy in every possible way, for a mass-produced furniture durability and consistency of quality is essential thus using primary materials is currently vital – however it is how their lifecycle is used that matters. Our approach to circularity focuses on creating products with long – or pratically endless – lifecycles through repairability and designing an urban furniture system that can adapt and evolve as needs change or new demands arise. This evolving, compatible system ensures that old products are not replaced with new ones but instead they can be adapted and transformed to meet emerging requirements.
Daniel Bumann, co-founder head of product design at Parkly shares his insights.
What are the key design features in your opinion? How is Parkly engineered?
“At the heart of Parkly’s hardware is a deep commitment to sustainability and circularity. We started with a vision: to create products that are not only built to last but are also easy to handle, ship, store, and understand. Our designs are multifunctional and forward-thinking, ensuring they remain relevant and adaptable for the future. Every piece we create is meticulously crafted, meeting strict manufacturing controls, safety standards, and aesthetic quality.
With Parkly we created a dynamic system – a toolbox for the future of public spaces, designed to grow and evolve with the needs of tomorrow. The system will keep evolving, for example with new parts, features and add-ons based on our observations, studies and client feedback.”
In a nutshell, Parkly operates with circular design principles by focusing on sustainable practices, adaptability, and longevity in its products and solutions for urban spaces. Here’s how we integrate circular design into our operations:
1. Modular and Adaptable Design
Parkly’s modular furniture systems are designed to be reconfigurable, enabling components to be reused, replaced, or upgraded instead of being discarded. This extends the lifecycle of the product and supports various uses and locations without generating waste.
2. Durable Materials
Parkly prioritizes materials that are long-lasting, recyclable, or derived from renewable resources. By using high-quality materials, Parkly ensures its products withstand urban conditions while minimizing the need for replacements.
3. Multifunctionality
Parkly modules are designed to serve multiple purposes, such as seating, greenery, and storage, reducing the need for separate installations. This minimizes material use and encourages efficient resource utilization.
4. End-of-Life Considerations
Parkly incorporates strategies for recycling or repurposing materials at the end of their lifecycle. For instance, plant containers can transition to permanent green spaces, and modular components can be disassembled and reused elsewhere.
5. Low-Waste Production and Operations
Parkly collaborates with manufacturers who implement waste-minimization strategies during production. It also promotes the repairability of its systems, reducing the need for full replacements.
6. Encouraging Green and Biodiverse Spaces
By integrating greenery into its modular systems, Parkly supports biodiversity and ecosystem services, which are key elements of circular urban ecosystems. Together with our urban greening partners, all biowaste is recycled back in use.
7. Collaborative Design Process
Parkly involves communities, stakeholders, and urban planners in the design and implementation process. This co-creation approach ensures solutions are meaningful, long-lasting, and adaptable to real needs, reducing waste from misaligned designs.
8. Testing and Iteration in Real Settings
Parkly uses tactical urbanism to test and iterate designs in real settings, allowing for adjustments and improvements before larger investments, reducing the risk of wasteful projects.
By combining these principles, Parkly operates in alignment with circular economy values, contributing to sustainable urban transformations that prioritize resource efficiency and environmental stewardship.
Circularity in practice
In many of Parkly’s projects, circularity is already embedded in the practices of cities, municipalities, or other stakeholders. For instance, in Lucerne, a pop-up park created with Parkly modules was used in one location for two years. The modular pop up park successfully activated the area, enhanced walkability, and gained popularity, ultimately paving the way for a permanent transformation of the street into a pedestrian-friendly zone.
Once the street is renovated, the Parkly modules will be relocated to another site to deliver the same benefits – improving the streetscape and creating spaces for people. If the new location has specific requirements, the modules can easily be adapted. For example, a seating module can be transformed into a planter, or additional compatible parts can be added to meet the unique needs of the new space.
What is the future vision for circularity at Parkly?
“We are committed to becoming the go-to solution for urban designers and anyone curating and facilitating urban spaces. As places and cities evolve and sustainability efforts will be implemented in all areas of urban development, new solutions for urban furnishing and placemaking are needed.
In the future, we plan to develop digital twins for each product to support lifecycle management and expand our network of collaborative companies that can offer Parkly as a service rather than relying on traditional linear ownership – just like our partnership with InnoGreen in Finland.”
