Innovation in Motion: KLAUS Multiparking America Launches Next Generation Parking Solution

KLAUS Multiparking America is advancing urban development with the launch of their latest innovation, the kVario 8000 Series Semi-Automatic Puzzle Parking System. This breakthrough technology allows vehicles to be stacked and moved both horizontally and vertically like puzzle pieces, maximizing parking capacity in increasingly space-constrained urban and suburban environments while significantly reducing construction costs and construction timelines.

The system represents a significant evolution of the company’s proven TrendVario puzzle parker technology. “What KLAUS did in Germany is reinvent semi-automatic parking technology, making it a lot more versatile,” explains Christopher Tiessen, President/CEO of KLAUS Multiparking America Inc. Where previous systems were limited to three levels, the new kVario 8000 Series can stack up to five cars independently, offering unprecedented flexibility in configuration – from four cars below grade and one above, to four above grade and one below, or any combination in between.

“Now everything moves simultaneously, very, very quickly. We have retrieval times under one minute – it does not matter where the car is, even if it’s five above or five beneath,” notes Mr. Tiessen. “What is important for architects and structural engineers is the placement of columns. With previous parking solutions, it can be very difficult to design around the designed columns. Now with the kVario, we don’t have what we typically have with puzzle parkers – a gate at each bay. Instead, only every second bay has a gate, meaning that we can place columns in front of the system, giving a lot more flexibility to structural engineers.”

This flexibility makes the kVario 8000 Series uniquely adaptable to various site conditions, from Florida’s high water tables to city centers’ bedrock constraints. The system’s innovative design addresses structural and spatial challenges while potentially reducing construction costs and increasing the developer’s return on investment.

To date, the KLAUS parking system technology has found its primary market in multi-family and mixed-use developments, with growing adoption in office buildings and hotels, particularly those with valet parking operations. Its impact is especially notable in urban markets like the rapidly developing communities of New Jersey, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The system’s ability to work with challenging lot configurations has opened up previously undevelopable sites, transforming their potential value and earning enthusiastic support from city planners.

The system’s impact on design innovation is particularly evident at a luxury boutique building near New York’s Flatiron District, where developers transformed KLAUS’s functional parking infrastructure into an architectural feature. “They have a pool on the lowest floor with a whole glass facade. The glass is a bit milky, so you just see shadows moving – it’s fascinating just watching those cars move back and forth,” notes Mr. Tiessen.

The solution also advances key sustainability goals. “When you drive around trying to find a parking spot in urban areas, you can drive up to 10 minutes until you get a parking spot,” notes Mr. Tiessen. “Those are all CO2 emissions that we can eliminate. The CO2 that we put out when we drive into a KLAUS system is minimal because we’re getting cars quickly off the street.” Beyond emissions reduction, the space efficiency enables more sustainable development. “Because we’re condensing parking so much more, we’re seeing green areas being created where water can run off and do its natural thing. We’re creating space which can be used in better ways than before, including more well-being amenity areas for tenants,” explains Mr. Tiessen.

Looking ahead, Mr. Tiessen sees the technology’s reach expanding beyond dense urban cores. “We’re seeing exciting developments in areas where there is not much density – for instance, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Ketchum, Idaho,” says Mr. Tiessen. “Developers are understanding what they can do with this product even in areas where there is a lot of space.”

For KLAUS Multiparking America, this expanding adoption signals a transformation in how developers approach parking challenges across diverse environments. As Mr. Tiessen notes: “Our goal is that the synonym for mechanical parking is ‘it’s a KLAUS.’ And I think we’re on a good road to do that.”