PARKING METER
Role
Time
Type
Team
:
:
:
:
Maker
November 2023
Mechatronic Art
Individual Project
A Comment on The Privatization of Public Infrastructure
This piece is in response to the prompt "site specific installation". My interpretation intends to shed light on the privately owned public parking meters in Chicago.
The money from all parking meters in Chicago goes to a private corporation, Chicago Parking Meters LLC. In my piece when a coin goes into the meter, it directly powers a miniature corporate office inside the meter itself.
Production
The exterior of the meter was modeled in SolidWorks using reference images from online. The interior was designed as a separate box that fits into the meter and receives the coins. All internal and external details were 3D printed and painted
The electronics behind the project consist of some LEDs, a microcontroller, and two metal contacts which close a switch when a coin passes. I programmed the lights to flicker on when the coin passes through to suggest that the money is paying their corporate electric bill.
POWERED
by MONEY
History of the Deal
Back in 2008 as Chicago was trying to recover from a major financial crisis, one of the city's solutions for quick money was selling the rights to collecting parking fees. Many companies submitted bits to purchase these rights, but the winning bit went to Chicago Parking Meters LLC, a LLC registered in Delaware.
The initial deal was that Chicago would receive $1.15 billion in exchange for 75 years of ownership of the public parking. In the 15 years since this deal was made, Chicago Parking Meters LLC has made nearly $1.7 billion and still has 60 years left to collect the profits.
Inspiration
This meter is one of the few remaining on the street in Wrigleyville. A relic of the time before Chicago's loss of ownership over public parking.
PARKING METER
Role
Time
Type
Team
:
:
:
:
Maker
November 2023
Mechatronic Art
Individual Project
A Comment on The Privatization of Public Infrastructure
This piece is in response to the prompt "site specific installation". My interpretation intends to shed light on the privately owned public parking meters in Chicago.
The money from all parking meters in Chicago goes to a private corporation, Chicago Parking Meters LLC. In my piece when a coin goes into the meter, it directly powers a miniature corporate office inside the meter itself.
Production
The exterior of the meter was modeled in SolidWorks using reference images from online. The interior was designed as a separate box that fits into the meter and receives the coins. All internal and external details were 3D printed and painted
The electronics behind the project consist of some LEDs, a microcontroller, and two metal contacts which close a switch when a coin passes. I programmed the lights to flicker on when the coin passes through to suggest that the money is paying their corporate electric bill.
POWERED
by MONEY
History of the Deal
Back in 2008 as Chicago was trying to recover from a major financial crisis, one of the city's solutions for quick money was selling the rights to collecting parking fees. Many companies submitted bits to purchase these rights, but the winning bit went to Chicago Parking Meters LLC, a LLC registered in Delaware.
The initial deal was that Chicago would receive $1.15 billion in exchange for 75 years of ownership of the public parking. In the 15 years since this deal was made, Chicago Parking Meters LLC has made nearly $1.7 billion and still has 60 years left to collect the profits.
Inspiration
This meter is one of the few remaining on the street in Wrigleyville. A relic of the time before Chicago's loss of ownership over public parking.