Of course Norway has rad new ‘bicycle hotels’ to promote cycling

Forget plain old bike racks, Norway is taking bike storage into a whole new stratosphere. Just look at this luminous new 5,000-square-foot public “Bicycle Hotel,” commissioned by Norwegian National Railways for its station in Lillestrøm, just outside of Oslo.

Designed by Various Architects in partnership with ROM Eiendom, the building is topped with an enormous undulating public roof terrace and green space to make up for the once-open area now taken up by the structure. Industrial materials like raw concrete, self-supporting glass, metal columns, and natural wood give it a sturdy, modern flair.

There’s also plenty of passive design. The glass walls take advantage of sunshine to reduce lighting needs, while small gaps between the panels create natural ventilation. The sedum-planted green roof absorbs rainwater and also helps with temperature control.

Lillestrøm has been ranked as one of the most bike-friendly cities in Norway, and its rail station is one of the largest in the system. At the Lillestrøm “bicycle hotel,” just one of a series of similar facilities rising near Norwegian train stations, travelers will be able to pay a small fee to park their bikes on double-decker racks inside the main space, making both bike and rail travel more convenient.

Via: Designboom, Inhabitat