Good area development starts with mobility

The mobility hub is literally and figuratively the hub of a neighborhood. Not only do various transport flows converge in the hub; residents can also come here to work, meet, eat, drink, play sports, repair a bicycle, pick up their packages and/or throw away their waste at the recycling square. "With this, the mobility hub also deserves a central place in the design and design process," believes Jeroen Huisman, commercial project manager at Continental Car Parks. "Because only by optimizing the design for the mobility hub at an early stage can we perfectly integrate functionality and social ambitions."

"Our mobility needs are changing rapidly. In large cities in particular, more and more voices are calling for the car to be removed from the streetscape," notes Jeroen Drenth, director of Continental Car Parks. "But also to give public space back to pedestrians, cyclists, children playing and green spaces. A good solution in this context is to no longer park cars next to or behind each other, but to stack them in strategic places in the neighborhood." Continental Car Parks can help with this. The specialist is conquering the market with its mobility hubs, which efficiently combine new and smart forms of mobility with social and practical neighborhood functions, attention to greenery and a high-quality appearance.

Cluster of traffic and facilities 

For the construction of its mobility hubs, Continental Car Parks offers several standardized building systems, which can be used to create any shape, size and spatial structure. "Regardless of whether one chooses concrete, steel, wood or a combination thereof," Drenth emphasizes. "In our mobility hubs, traffic and facilities come together in a unique way. Public transport, (shared) bikes, (shared) scooters and (shared) cars are clustered in one central location with hospitality, retail and offices. But also, for example, with a nursery, dentist's office, physiotherapist, bicycle maker and/or coffee-to-go. We can also integrate parcel lockers and/or recycling plazas. In this way, we add value to the building and the streetscape becomes more attractive. Moreover, a big advantage for developers is that general district functions such as transformer and CHP rooms can also be integrated, which in a residential building take away too much useful space."

Social neighborhood function

"Removing the car and general facilities from the streetscape creates more space to meet and play," Huisman believes. "This greatly improves the livability of the neighborhood." Drenth: "Because people can park, drink coffee, dine and pick up their packages in one central place, liveliness, interaction and social control are also increased. As a result, people naturally feel safer."

BinnenDok in Amsterdam

On the NDSM wharf, Continental Car Parks recently completed a mobility hub with 525 parking spaces and a high-profile gold-colored facade. "What is special about mobility hub BinnenDok is that the first floor is completely filled with commercial spaces, catering facilities, container areas, power facilities and a large bicycle storage area," Drenth says. "Only from the second floor is parking set up. The roof is largely filled with solar panels, which generate energy for the adjacent residential buildings. Combined with a green roof garden and ample electric charging spots, this building will have a central function in the neighborhood."

Healthy and climate resilient city

"By designing the roof as a green roof, we are also actively contributing to the comfort and health of residents," says Huisman. "The greenery also improves the environment, contributes to a nature-inclusive and biodiverse city, reduces air pollution, provides good water storage and cools in hot periods. By combining the green roof with sports, games and/or hospitality functions, we catch even more birds with one stone."

WijCK in Pijnacker

The above benefits also come to excellent fruition in mobility hub WijCK in Pijnacker, where living, mobility, nature and exercise harmonize. On the roof of the mobility hub there will be a multicourt and planting. Swings and climbing walls will also be installed so that young and old can exercise to their hearts' content. There will be spaces for retail, hospitality and shared mobility, and a solar panel field will be installed, generating energy for all the homes. Within the design, there is also a lot of attention to climate adaptation, nature inclusiveness and biodiversity.

Hyde Park in Hoofddorp

Last year, Continental Car Parks also completed phase 1 of the Hyde Park project in Hoofddorp. "In this phase, we relocated the barriers and realized the cascade spaces and utility and WKO spaces that will soon supply energy to the surrounding new-build developments," says Huisman. "Phases 2 and 3 will follow next year, where we will provide an ambitious upgrade to the existing parking garage. These phases will include a management space and commercial plinth, creating a multi-purpose mobility hub. The capacity of the parking garage will also be expanded and the roof will be fitted with PV panels and a moss sedum roofing system."

Gruno neighborhood in Groningen

In Groningen, work is underway on mobility hub Grunobuurt, in which beautiful masonry facades with ornaments and slats provide a nice connection to the surroundings, while extensive planting and a 50-m3 water storage provide for the green ambition. "Following a bicycle shop and laundromat, a social workshop will also be located here," concludes Huisman. "In early January we will start the construction of a mobility hub in Breda and a month later we will start work in Arnhem. So our mobility hubs can be admired throughout the country."