I heard a rumor that the coffee shop I frequent daily has a hydraulic system in the basement car park. The valet parking attendants are the only ones allowed to go into the basement, so I had to make a special request (to park my own car!)
There was just one other car in the basement, I pulled into the ridged grooves of an empty unit. The security guard was amused when I asked him to activate the pulley to lift my car. Insisted that he could only do it if the car lot was full. I figured I'd come back again at a busy time. Felt like a little kid asking for a demonstration of a truck emptying dirt.
Maximizing space intrigues me. Design concepts that utilize available land space with smart adjustments. The hydraulic system caught my attention because of its use of vertical space. As our planet gets more crowded, it's essential for architects to design homes and cities to maximize available resources.
That's my justification. Deep down, I'm just fascinated by simple mechanics.
