by ArchitectureWeek

As part of a construction project at Amsterdam Central Station, a temporary parking garage has been built, not for cars but for 2500 bicycles. The remarkable structure near the Hotel Ibis overhangs a canal, allowing touring boats to maneuver below.

Open to the weather and shaped by its sloping ramps, the project is the product of the young Dutch firm VMX Architects under the leadership of project architect Don Murphy.

During construction of the Metro Line, two existing indoor bicycle parking facilities needed to be replaced, and the plaza in front of the station needed to be cleared of bicycle racks. The design program stipulated a maximum length of 360 feet (110 meters), a maximum width of 57 feet (17.5 meters) and a clearance of at least 6.6 feet (2 meters) from the quay.

The solution was a long, narrow 32,000-square-foot (3000-square-meter) temporary bike storage shed designed to be low in cost, self-supporting, and constructed from assemblies prefabricated off site.   >>>

A temporary bicycle shed in Amsterdam, designed by VMX Architects. Photo: Luuk Kramer, Amsterdam A red asphalt roadway has bike racks on either side. Photo: Luuk Kramer, Amsterdam   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.