# Renovated Railway Racks This Rustic Bike Hotel is the Perfect Solution for Parking Problems By Farida Helmy | Published 2014-07-21 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bike-hotel References: [designtaxi](http://designtaxi.com/news/367396/Architect-Firm-Converts-An-Old-Railway-Building-Into-Stylish-Bike-Hotel/) & [mmw.no](http://www.mmw.no) A need for bike parking prompted a Norwegian town to get creative and commission an architecture firm to convert an old railway building into a rustically hip bike hotel. Like many cities around the world, Drammer, Norway, had a [parking problem](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/niels-bohr-car-park). With the recent surge in biking instead of driving and countries encouraging their citizens to bike more, parking has become a problem. Instead of leaving their townsfolk without enough [bike racks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cargomate-bike-rack), the city built them a bike hotel. The new hotel was transformed from an old railway building into a safe parking for 134 bicycles -- with four charging spots for electric bikes! "We really wanted people to get a glimpse into a historic space. We even wanted the building to smell like in the old days, so we used old tar-smelling oil products," says Magne Magler Wiggen from the architect firm MMW Architects, who were responsible for the project. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.1/10 - Popularity: 40% | Activity: 14% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Bike Parking Solutions:** Renovated Railway Racks showcase a trend of creative solutions for the growing demand for bike parking in urban areas. - **Adaptive Reuse Architecture:** The transformation of an old railway building into a rustically hip bike hotel exemplifies the trend of repurposing existing structures for new and innovative purposes. - **E-bike Infrastructure:** The inclusion of charging spots for electric bikes in the renovated railway racks highlights the trend of accommodating the increasing popularity of electric bicycles in urban transportation. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Architecture:** The renovation of the railway building into a bike hotel presents an opportunity for architecture firms to specialize in adaptive reuse projects. - **Urban Transportation:** The bike hotel addresses the parking problem and promotes sustainable transportation, indicating an industry opportunity for urban mobility companies and local governments. - **Cycling Infrastructure:** The provision of secure and charging facilities for bicycles in the bike hotel creates an opportunity for companies specializing in cycling infrastructure to target the growing market of bike-friendly cities. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Smart Bike Docking Stations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-bike-docking-station.md) - [Underwater Bicycle Parks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ijboulevard.md) - [Modular Bike Racks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sonder-x-skarper.md) - [Rail Depot Hotels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/noxx-hotel-marburg.md) - [Underwater Bicycling Parking Lots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/centraal-station.md) - [Tri-Functional Bicycle Racks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/trifunctional-bicycle-rack.md) - [Foldable Flatpack Bike Racks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ahha-toaster-bike-rack.md) - [Adaptive Parking Structures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/niels-bohr-car-park.md) - [Sleek Bicycle Store Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bicycle-store.md)