DESIGNA congratulates P-Hämppi on the EPA Award 2013 Finnish parking project given award in Dublin

A highly convincing entry in the "New car parks” P-Hämppi from Tampere in Finland has been awarded this year's first prize by the European Parking Association (EPA). The award was presented as part of the 16th EPA Conference in Dublin, Ireland and DESIGNA is delighted to be able to offer its warm congratulations to its partner, Finnpark.

In total 29 participants from 12 European countries subjected themselves to the critical scrutiny of the jury in four different categories. Among other things, the design and security of the car park were evaluated. Architecture and user-friendliness also played a decisive role.

P-Hämppi is an extraordinary project – right from the very start. After all, what do you do when a city like Tampere urgently needs a large number of parking spaces, but there is no space available? You dig deep!

In 2007 directly beneath the main street in the city centre in close proximity to the shopping malls and office buildings, 30 metres below the town a 650 metre long, 32 metre wide and 10 metre high tunnel was cut in the hardest of rock, providing space for almost a thousand vehicles and much more.

At the cutting edge: Finnpark, DESIGNA's Finnish partner. Throughout all the deliberations and technical challenges in the underground parking site, the focus at all times was on the customer's point of view and on the desire to provide a smooth and pleasant overall parking experience. From the – in terms of both design and function – modern ONE pay station, via pre-booking that guides the customer to a reserved parking space without wasting any time, to the secure number plate recognition and information screens from which the precise location of one's car can be checked, service and the customer experience when parking in the rock are certainly writ large at P-Hämppi.

"A 650 metre long, 32 metre wide and 10 metre high tunnel with space for almost a thousand vehicles – and for much, much more – was dug in the rock 30 metres under the city."

About DESIGNA

In 1951 DESIGNA became Germany's first producer and supplier of parking meters. DESIGNA's history of innovation continued. At the end of the seventies, the Kiel-based enterprise was able to to introduce its first fully automatic parking system. The company's programme has now been further developed to encompass fully comprehensive solutions, from the design and planning phase right through to the installation and service of fully automatic parking systems. The experience DESIGNA has acquired over the last 50 years continues to benefit customers at every stage of the project.