Amsterdam, regarded for being one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world, has created an underwater bicycle parking garage. The parking garage, with its shiny white interiors, is nine meters beneath the surface of Amsterdam’s famous canals.
After a competition held by Amsterdam’s municipal government in 2018, the project was completed by the Dutch firm Wurck. The underwater facility, which provides parking for around 7,000 bikes, is connected directly to the city’s metro and railway systems through six escalators.
A 140-meter-long glass panel lines the walkway that leads visitors into and around the bicycle park, alongside nautical-themed artwork and maps produced in partnership with the Amsterdam Museum and the design company, Multitude.
The rough concrete-and-stone entryway leads to a large hall of white glossy mushroom columns framing the parking spots. It is lit by oculus-styled light fittings, which can be likened to underwater skylights.
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Wurck aimed to make the subterranean facility a bright and inviting extension of the urban realm above, which has undergone a broader revitalization effort. The underwater bicycle parking garage is part of a wider project called De Entree, which involves refurbishing the entire station area.
Redefining the public space by increasing the volume of water was critical in the refurbishment, according to Wurck’s founding partner Oriol Casas Cancer.
Cyclists can use their transport cards to access the underwater bicycle parking garage through automated electric gates, which allows them to pass quickly and efficiently around the curving paths. Similar bike parks have lately been built in various Dutch cities to make space for the large number of bikes parked near the country’s train stations.
According to Cancer, the underwater cycling park in Amsterdam is a tribute to water, with all shapes fluid, walls, columns, steps, and glass walls curved. The inside is bright, light, and white, with a central ‘pearl’ of curving glass facades housing the concierges’ facilities.
