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Staking a commanding position at the heart of the city, The Hague Central railway station is a nexus of regional, local and intercity rail. And, now that it has become home to a breathtaking and seamlessly functional 8,000-spot bike parking facility, it is truly intermodal.

Designed by local creative agency Silo and Delft-based architects Studio Marsman, the cyclists’ haven is a stark contrast to anonymous subterranean spaces. It may be underground, occupying the lower level of a new mixed-use development, but the ambiance is light, airy and delightfully experiential — thanks to its incredible graphic design.

“The graphics almost become kinetic.”
Paul Filek, AZ Awards 2021 Juror

Against a vivid white backdrop of high ceilings and crisp lighting, luminous glass walls frame the curving bicycle path with photographic decals that hint at The Hague’s urban landscape. This backlit glass cityscape unfolds like a skyline on the horizon, but at a walking pace, the details of the 1,040-square-metre graphic installation come to the fore: They are the unique architectural features of the Dutch royal city’s iconic buildings.

Pops of colour — in the form of bright blue directional markers and bursts of yellow and red — complement the monochromatic graphics. In all, the space injects subterranean infrastructure with both placemaking panache and ease of navigation. According to Silo, the various “visual interventions support the intuitive orientation, making it easier to find your bike at the end of the day.”

Team Rene Toneman with Jan-Roelof de Vries (Silo) and Pim Marsman (Studio Marsman)

Winner: Experiential Graphic Design
People’s Choice: Experiential Graphic Design
AZ Awards 2021 Winner: Bicycle Parking Garage The Hague

Staking a commanding position at the heart of the city, The Hague Central railway station is a nexus of regional, local and intercity rail.

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2024
People’s ChoiceExperiential Graphic Design
Location
Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan
Firm
Motive, Japan
2022
People’s ChoiceExperiential Graphic Design
Location
Toronto, Canada
Firms
MJMA Architecture & Design with ERA Architects, Acumen Visual Group and PCL Graphics, Canada
2021
Award of MeritExperiential Graphic Design
Location
New York City, U.S.
Firms
WXY architecture + urban design (U.S.) and Manuel Miranda Practice (U.S.)