While browsing my RSS feeds, I found on Inhabitat a great idea on how to park dozens of bikes without wasting space in streets. Only eight meters wide and eleven meters deep, a single Eco Cycle parking can store 204 bikes.
The Japanese company Giken has installed many of these in Tokyo and around Japan. Given how both biking and bike sharing are becoming more and more popular around the world, I am sure this product could sprout globally.
I just love how Japanese people and companies find creative ideas : with all the freed above ground space, city councils could plant thousands of trees instead.
Given the huge advantages brought by urban forestry, this just makes you wish all cities used Giken’s products to park bikes (and cars as they have similar cars parking as well)
Additional bonus, bike theft could become a story of the past.
Last but not least, as if it weren’t enough, these bike parkings are earthquake proof and can be used as building foundation. Thus enabling them to replace traditional foundations for office or apartment buildings, train stations and so on.
Here is the video taken from Inhabitat’s article :
Here is now the longer official video from Giken :