Dutch Studio Wurk recently built a state-of-the-art bicycle parking garage. Located next to Amsterdam's central station and connected directly to the railway and metro systems, the space boldly promotes greener forms of transportation while also presenting unique structural integrity. Wurk's bicycle parking garage is located nine meters beneath the surface—it is submerged underwater.
Maximizing the amount of water in the public space while "celebrating the monumental character of the station" were key drivers for the concept development. The bicycle parking garage is sizable and can house 7,000 bikes. Brightness is maximized inside via strategic material and palette choice, skylights, and sizable periphery windows. The building is complete with a number of escalators.
Wurk's innovative garage is part of a larger renovation project for the Amsterdam Central Station called De Entree.
Image Credit: Aiste Rakauskaite
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Underwater Parking Structures
- The innovative use of underwater structural integrity to maximize public spaces provides opportunities for strategic brand experiences or creative solutions.
- Sustainable Transportation
- Encouraging eco-friendly transportation through innovative parking options is an area that can be explored further for new business opportunities.
- Smart Urban Planning
- Incorporating smart urban planning strategies such as space optimization and integration of multimodal transportation systems can lead to other new infrastructure projects.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Architecture
- Architects can leverage new materials and principles, to design buildings, which can utilize underwater structural integrity for parking garages or other public structures.
- Governing Bodies
- City planners and governing bodies can explore new approaches to incentivizing eco-friendly transportation through the development of creative parking systems that save space and reduce carbon footprints.
- Transportation
- Innovative parking solutions serve transportation companies by providing better integration of modes of transportation and a more efficient use of space in urban areas.
