- One of the largest bicycle parking garages in Europe was built in the Hague, Netherlands, at its Central Station, connecting urban micromobility users to the main railway station.
- The garage has space for 8,000 bicycles, including public and cargo bicycles.
- Unlike the typical parking garage, this completed space has high white ceilings with backlit walls and artwork.
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One of Europe’s largest parking garages dedicated solely to bicycles was built in The Hague, Netherlands by its Central Station, connecting urban micromobility users to the main railway station.
The underground bicycle parking space was designed to stand out from the average dimly lit grey garage. In order to achieve this, the two companies behind the design – creative agency Silo and architectural firm Studio Marsman – created an interior meant to resemble a museum as opposed to an actual parking garage, according to its designers.
Instead of using undecorated dark cement walls, the inside of the garage is covered with a bright ceiling, backlit walls, and artwork, all while including space for 8,000 bicycles, according to the local government. More specifically, this includes 700 spots dedicated to public bicycles, although the garage also has space for other segments, such as cargo bicycles and two-wheelers with crate and child seat attachments.
Keep scrolling to see inside:
The bicycle garage is located underneath the Koningin Julianaplein, a residential building and outdoor space that has yet to be built, according to the local government.
Source: Den Haag
The entire space is 8,000 square meters, about 86,111 square feet, and stands as one of the largest bicycle garages in Europe.
However, it's the second largest bicycle-dedicated garage in its home country in the Netherlands.
There are six different entrances ...
... and visitors can check in using the OV chip card, the public transit payment method in the Netherlands.
Parking is free for the first 24 hours.
After that, payments can be made using a QR code.
Paths are separated for bicyclists and foot traffic: cyclists follow the green lines, while pedestrians follow the yellow.
There are also large aisles and directional cues to guide the crowds.
To counter the low, dark ceilings found in most parking garages, the designers used tall white ceilings and a backlit glass wall.
The glass wall also has images and references to old, current, and new architecture in The Hague.
This, in conjunction with the "spatial identity" of the space, makes the garage appear larger, according to a statement by the Silo's creative director Rene Toneman.
