Infrastructure project in the Netherlands: Chalice-shaped precast concrete elements in underwater parking garage

Figure: Robert Mehl

Where tourist boats moor today, the forecourt of the central station had been previously. The new bicycle parking facility is situated exactly below it now.

Figure: Robert Mehl

Figure: Max Bögl

Floor plan of the main level

Figure: Max Bögl

Figure: Robert Mehl

The new underwater parking facility is characterized by 194 chalice columns made in precast concrete construction

Figure: Robert Mehl

Access to the parking garage is provided through three moving belts running in parallel and a centrally placed cascade of stairs

Figure: Robert Mehl

The design theme for the parking garage was that of a seashell. Where the main access together with the adjacent service center constitutes its pearl

Figure: Robert Mehl

The main colonnade describes a slight curve. Thus, it follows the idea of the “closedness of places”

Figure: Robert Mehl

The new bicycle parking facility at Amsterdam‘s central station is situated at the bottom of a newly built town canal (Gracht), therefore underwater. Until a few years ago, this was a pitiful station square which has undergone a complete redesign under the name „De Entree“ now. Max Bögl assumed the architectural design and the implementation of the bicycle parking facility. The following article is an extract of the project report, being published in full text in our „Beton Bauteile 2024“ yearbook.

The municipality of Amsterdam has created a bicycle parking facility for around 7,000 bicycles in front of the central station there. It constitutes the foundations of a newly built small harbor basin. The 129 chalice-shaped floor columns of this submarine garage consist of precast concrete elements.

In contrast to other cities, not only cars are a thorn in the Amsterdam administration‘s side, but also the countless bicycles parked “wildly” in the area. The City is collecting around 200 bicycles parked unlawfully across the entire city every day, carrying them into the ‚Fietsdepot‘ on the...