Bicycle Garage in Amsterdam
- Sabine Drey
Large numbers of bicycles parked in the public realm are not a pretty sight. They block through access and take up a lot of space. A new underground garage accommodating 3,750 cycles at Amsterdam South station now brings relief for the much frequented forecourt there. The entrance is distinguished by a glazed cubic complex with a load-bearing structure consisting of stylized, hexagonal tree crowns on steel columns. A gently inclined moving ramp convey up to 1,620 cyclists per hour down to the parking level. Here, they pass the check-in area with its electronic card readers and automated machines. Large glass sliding doors separate the air-conditioned space from the garage. The 2.5-metre-wide entrance allows access to four bicycles next to each other, so that during peak periods up to eight cyclists per minute can check in. All other routes are meticulously dimensioned to serve a maximum number of users. The seven-metre-wide central lane acts as a distribution route for people with or without bicycles. Large figures on the floor, which is finished with an epoxy-resin coating, help users to find their bikes again on returning. An upward-moving ramp brings cyclists back to the main entrance in the square. Without their bicycles, people can leave the garage via a staircase at the opposite end.
