Treehugger: Bikestaions: Commuting Facility of the Future
Bikestaions: Commuting Facility of the Future
January 14, 2005
Seattle-based firm Place Architecture has come up with a concept for venues called Bikestations that could change the way we think about our commutes—and maybe even getting around in general. Already popular in Europe and Japan, bike stations are facilities where people can park their bikes, stow their riding clothes, clean up, and emerge ready for work, all in a city that will have cleaner air and easier mobility due to them. Place’s Bikestations would also be social spaces, where people could take a coffee, pick up a newspaper, or get a new inner tube. To be built along the existing commuter rail lines, the stations would provide services from simple covered parking to full multi-modal transit hubs that would eventually integrate a variety of clean transport options, giving commuters the opportunity to connect with electric vehicles, FlexCars, and rental bikes…
The designs for the stations are themselves ecologically friendly: Taking full advantage of government programs that encourage the use of recycled and sustainable materials, the structures will be simple to construct (possibly using recycled bike components), easy to maintain and inexpensive to operate. This is the commuter station of the future alright, but Place knows that some things, like front-and-center parking spots, will always remain valuable. In their world, those desirable spots still exist, but will be reserved for environmentally friendly vehicles only, of course. Thanks Michele! ::Place Architects [by MO]
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