The Biggest Parking Lots In The World

A rundown of the largest parking structures on the planet -- complete with photos and plans for a new 40,000 car structure in Dubai that is slated to take the crown when completed.

2 minute read

April 11, 2008, 1:00 PM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"With 20,000 spaces in its wrap-around parking structure, West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada holds the Guinness world record for the largest parking lot.

Does that mean West Edmonton has the largest parking structure in the world, then? It all depends on your definition. Some argue that the mall's garage-lot hybrid shouldn't count as a single structure, which would make Seattle's airport garage the winner with its 13,000 spaces under a single roof.

Then, there are those who think in terms of largest parking facilities. With its twin garage structure, each containing about 10,000 spaces, Universal Studios tops the list of largest parking complexes. Most airports have multiple mega-garages too. The Denver International Airport has two 7,000-car giants, and Baltimore's airport boasts both an 8,400-car and a 5,300-car structure.

But it's not just airports and theme parks building jumbo parking garages. Microsoft is constructing a 5,000-car underground garage near its Redmond, Wash., headquarters, and Best Buy recently completed a 6,800-car garage for its base in Richfield, Minn."

"At around $15,000 per space, building these parking garages isn't cheap. Airports and other venues that charge for parking stand to make some of their investment back, but for other garages, the money has to come from somewhere else, such as retail sales or big-ticket events.

All the more reason, then, to overlap use, says Shannon McDonald, an Atlanta-based architect who recently published a book on parking garages. "A lot of these garages were built for office workers, so then they sit empty two-thirds of the day," she explains.

Some parking garage designers, including Walker's Smith, have constructed entire facilities based on this idea of shared usage. In fact, Smith recently worked on one in Dubai that, at nearly 40,000 spaces, could easily become the world's largest once it's completed. Watch your back, West Edmonton."

Thursday, April 10, 2008 in Forbes

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

View of residential street in Los Angeles with palm trees and hazy city in distance.

Rebuilding Smarter: How LA County Is Guiding Fire-Ravaged Communities Toward Resilience

Los Angeles County is leading a coordinated effort to help fire-impacted communities rebuild with resilience by providing recovery resources, promoting fire-wise design, and aligning reconstruction with broader sustainability and climate goals.

April 27 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Entrance sign for San Jose-Santa Clara Regional wastewater treatment facility.

When Borders Blur: Regional Collaboration in Action

As regional challenges outgrow city boundaries, “When Borders Blur” explores how cross-jurisdictional collaboration can drive smarter, more resilient urban planning, sharing real-world lessons from thriving partnerships across North America.

April 27 - * A Placemaking Journal

Rendering of Penrose Roundabout in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Is Expanding its Network of Roundabouts

Roundabouts are widely shown to decrease traffic speed, reduce congestion, and improve efficiency.

April 27 - WHYY