Parking, Art, and Green Space: A Look at Southline’s Innovative Garage
Parking garages aren’t usually the buildings that make it onto postcards. They’re often utilitarian, gray, and forgettable. But in South San Francisco, the Southline parking structure has changed that perception by blending architecture, art, and landscape design into something much bigger than a place to park cars.
The garage is part of Southline, a large new office and life science campus developed by Lane Partners. With over 27 acres of buildings, open spaces, and amenities, this campus is designed to support innovation while also respecting its residential neighbors. And the parking garage—though built for function—was treated with the same design attention as the surrounding laboratories and offices.
The result? A six-level structure that doesn’t just house 960 cars. It contributes to the neighborhood with an artistic façade, a public strip park at street level, and green screens that will grow into a living wall over time. It’s proof that infrastructure can—and should—play a role in community life.
From Function to Design Innovation
At its core, the Southline parking structure is a cast-in-place, post-tensioned concrete building. Strong, efficient, and designed to last, its skeleton could have been left bare. Instead, the design team—DES Architects + Engineers and Lux (artwork)—saw an opportunity to push boundaries.
The standout feature is the perforated aluminum cladding. Instead of flat metal, the façade was transformed into a multicolored botanical mural, artwork created by Lux and printed with a custom powder-coat process developed by Construction Specialties. Every detail mattered. Even the edges of the perforations were printed so that the pattern remained uninterrupted, a small but important detail that elevates the visual experience.
Behind the mural panels, the design team specified a green tone that complements the botanical motif. This extra layer of color not only supports the artwork but ensures the garage doesn’t feel like a massive industrial block.
Function wasn’t sacrificed for beauty. The panels provide natural ventilation for the garage, reducing the need for mechanical systems, while also minimizing headlight glare at night—a critical consideration for the residential neighborhood next door.
Building a Bridge to the Neighborhood
One of the most innovative aspects of this garage isn’t architectural at all—it’s social. Parking garages are often seen as barriers between developments and the communities around them. At Southline, the opposite is true.
Along the base of the garage, the design team created a public strip park. This landscaped green space runs along the edge of the development, offering seating, plantings, and a pedestrian-friendly buffer between commercial buildings and nearby homes. The mural-clad façade becomes the backdrop for this park, turning the garage into a canvas that frames community space rather than a wall that divides.
And the design isn’t static. Tournesol Siteworks’ green screens were integrated to support climbing vines. As the plants mature, they will soften the structure’s lines and add seasonal variety—meaning the garage will look different five, ten, and twenty years from now. The architecture anticipates change, blending with nature over time.
Collaboration Across Disciplines
The Southline parking structure stands as a case study in successful collaboration. While DES led the architectural vision, it took the combined expertise of DPR Construction, B.T. Mancini, Construction Specialties, Lux, and Tournesol Siteworks to bring the design to life.
Construction Specialties engineered the custom perforated panels and perfected the powder coat printing process that allowed the artwork to wrap seamlessly around each hole.
Lux created the botanical artwork that transforms the façade into a colorful landmark.
B.T. Mancini installed the panels with precision, ensuring the mural aligned perfectly across the vast surface.
Tournesol Siteworks supplied the green screens that will support climbing plants in the years to come.
Each decision—from the hue of green applied to the back of the panels, to the mockups tested early in the process—was critical in proving that the design could be executed without compromise.
This kind of cross-disciplinary teamwork illustrates what’s possible when contractors, manufacturers, and designers share a vision.
The Photographer’s Challenge
Photographing a project like this comes with its own hurdles. On-site, the view was obstructed by a temporary construction fence and telephone wires, both of which cut across the composition. To capture the façade in its full impact, I had to position myself strategically—sometimes moving in close so the distractions were behind the camera, other times using aerial perspectives to look over them.
Once the images were captured, the work continued in post-processing. Careful retouching was needed to remove visual clutter and distractions, while preserving the integrity of the architectural lines and artwork.
This step is often overlooked but is essential in architectural photography. The goal isn’t to “alter” the design, but to present it as the design team intended—without the temporary noise of construction remnants or utility lines.
Technical Achievements Worth Highlighting
From a design standpoint, the Southline parking structure goes beyond appearances. Several technical innovations make it stand out:
Ventilation through Art: The perforated panels are not just decorative. They provide essential airflow, reducing mechanical ventilation needs and saving energy.
Glare Control: The pattern reduces headlight glare, protecting nearby homes from nighttime disturbance.
Durability and Color Fidelity: The custom powder coating ensures that the mural withstands UV exposure, weather, and time without fading.
Future-Focused Growth: The green screens mean the garage is designed to evolve. Over time, climbing vines will soften the hard edges of concrete and metal, creating a blend of art and nature.
Parking as a Community Asset
The Southline parking structure doesn’t just serve the new life science campus. It also plays a role in bridging the gap between a large commercial development and the surrounding residential neighborhood. Instead of becoming a fortress-like wall, the garage is softened with art, green space, and landscaping that invite interaction.
For nearby residents, this means the transition between their homes and the new office buildings feels less abrupt. The public strip park offers a shaded, walkable buffer, while the mural transforms the façade into a piece of civic art. The result is a development that feels integrated with its neighborhood, rather than imposed upon it.
Lessons for Designers and Project Teams
For architects, builders, and developers, the Southline project offers several takeaways worth applying to future work:
Treat every structure as a design opportunity. Even utilitarian buildings can add value through thoughtful design.
Invest in mockups early. Southline’s success with its custom-printed panels came from rigorous testing before full production.
Blend function with community benefit. Parking garages can double as ventilation systems, art canvases, and noise or glare buffers.
Plan for evolution. Green screens ensure the garage will continue to adapt, providing long-term value as the landscape matures.
Think beyond the property line. By adding a public strip park, the design team strengthened ties with neighbors—reducing friction and building goodwill.
These lessons are relevant whether you’re planning a multi-acre campus or a single urban infill project.
The Photographer’s Takeaway
As a photographer, projects like this are particularly rewarding. Capturing not just a building, but a story of collaboration, community, and innovation makes the images far more powerful than a simple documentation of concrete and steel.
By carefully framing out distractions and enhancing images in post-production, the final photographs showcase the intended vision of the design team: a garage that celebrates both art and function. These photos will serve not only as portfolio pieces for the architects and contractors, but also as tools for future clients who want to see what’s possible when infrastructure is treated with imagination.
Final Thoughts: More Than a Garage
The Southline parking structure challenges the idea that garages have to be purely functional. By weaving together art, green space, and technical precision, it sets a new standard for what urban infrastructure can achieve.
For architects, contractors, and developers, the message is clear: every project, no matter how utilitarian, can contribute positively to both community life and the built environment.
And for the neighbors of South San Francisco, it’s a reminder that even a parking garage can be a good neighbor.
Key Takeaways from this Article:
The Southline parking structure redefines what a parking garage can be, blending art, architecture, and community impact.
Perforated aluminum panels double as both artwork and natural ventilation, reducing energy needs while minimizing glare.
The botanical mural by Lux, printed with a custom powder coat process, creates a vibrant and durable façade.
Green screens by Tournesol Siteworks will allow vines to climb, ensuring the structure evolves into a living wall over time.
A public strip park at the garage’s base turns infrastructure into an asset for both office tenants and nearby residents.
Early mockups and testing were crucial in perfecting the panel design and execution.
Collaboration between architects, contractors, and manufacturers proved essential to achieving both aesthetic and technical goals.
Strategic architectural photography eliminated distractions and showcased the design as intended by the project team.
The garage is not just a functional necessity but a community connector that bridges commercial development and residential neighborhoods.
Southline demonstrates that even utilitarian structures can add long-term civic and environmental value.