Atlantis for bikes? Amsterdam opens massive underwater cycle garage

Amsterdam has one of the highest numbers of bicycle users anywhere in the world but while that is great for emission-free mobility and for public health at large, the Dutch capital city has been facing space crunch issues in recent times. To address these concerns though, the city now has a large underwater parking area which is only meant for cycles.

Constructed under the Open Haven Front which is an access tributary to Amsterdam's IJ river, this is only one of two such spaces for cycles. Another one is coming up right next to the IJ river and the two facilities combined would be able to accommodate as many as 11,000 cycles at a time. The idea behind having an underwater parking space stemmed from concerns about limited space on land as well as the city's ability to make use of waterways and water bodies around it in creative and diverse ways.

In a city which has around nine lakh cycles and with around 6.25 lakh trips being made daily, the concerns about a secure space was on the rise. Authorities have sought to address these concerns through the underwater facility. The facility has conveyor belts which bring down cyclists around none meters under the ground level. Designed by architectural firm wUrck, the facility is described as one that resembles an oyster that has a light and modern interior.