The Project: Designing a public space the Audi way.

The Audi Design Project: Progress on Powell Street was launched with the purpose of improving the pedestrian experience on Powell Street in a way that transforms it into a vibrant destination and alleviates the congestion. So, working with the city of San Francisco, we’re doing something that might normally be considered unfathomable for an automaker — removing cars from the road. That’s right, we’re eliminating the parking lanes on both sides of the street and, in their place, creating a new public space that sits on top of the pavement.

But this is no ordinary public space. It’s a space inspired by the same philosophy of design and innovation that defines our approach to car making. And reflects our commitment to efficiency and sustainability. First we started with the materials, and the idea to build the space almost entirely of aluminum. Not only does it look pretty spiffy, it’s lighter and stronger than steel, and makes the bodies of cars like the Audi A7 more efficient. Then there are the custom designed benches, planters, tables and railings that evoke the fluid curves of our cars. And of course, it wouldn’t be Audi without a few well-placed LEDs to light up the night. But to take it one step further we’re installing custom solar towers to supply the electricity. And finally, to top it all off, since we’ve been turning our cars into hotspots, we decided to bring free WiFi to Powell Street too.

In the end, we hope to create a new vision for Powell Street. One that San Francisco will be proud to call its own.