GIKEN LTD. (Head Office: Kochi-shi, Kochi; President and CEO: Atsushi Ohira) announced that ECO Cycle™ automated bicycle parking facilities will be installed as part of the Project to Install Underground Bicycle Parking Facilities in Front of Kobe Station commissioned by Kobe City. At the square on the northern side of Kobe Station, three units (Underground Model; capacity of 228 bicycles per unit) will be installed in the area towards Hyogo Station, while two units (Underground Model; capacity of 204 bicycles per unit) will be installed in the area towards Motomachi Station. Under the main contractor DAITETSU KOGYO CO., LTD., group company GIKEN SEKO CO., LTD. (Head Office: Kochi-shi, Kochi; President: Akihiro Nishigawa) is scheduled to start construction of the facilities in May 2025.
The installation is being carried out as part of the "Renovation Kobe" project, which Kobe City is undertaking to further improve the quality of the city and the quality of life, thereby enhancing the city's brand and attracting more people. Due to the need to establish safe and smooth traffic functions, ECO Cycle™ was adopted in recognition of its high convenience, safety, and ease of construction.
ECO Cycle™ has been steadily building up its track record, including 63 units installed at 26 locations nationwide in Japan. In recent years, there is also an increasing trend of inquiries towards manifestation in projects in the Kansai region. In 2024, design work was undertaken for Hyogo Station and Rokkomichi Station in Kobe City. Amidst attention on this project, which will install five units at one go as part of a major renovation of Kobe Station, GIKEN will further intensify proposal activities and contribute to sustainable, safe, secure, and comfortable urban development.
Image of ECO Cycle™ installed in front of Kobe Station*
* This is an image of the current plan and is subject to change following further discussion
■Background of the installation
With Kobe Station as the target of the "Renovation Kobe" project, in 2021, Kobe City formulated its Basic Plan for the Redevelopment of the Square in Front of Kobe Station to invigorate the area around the station and turn the area in front of the station into a distinctive place that is worthy of being named after the city. Bicycle parking facilities constitute a majority of the square in front of Kobe Station. Under the Project to Install Underground Bicycle Parking Facilities in Front of Kobe Station, the installation of multi-storey underground bicycle parking facilities is being planned to consolidate them underground. This is expected to alleviate the shortage of land and parking facilities as well as improve convenience for users.
■Ease of construction suitable for development in front of a station
In this project, bicycle parking facilities with high accommodation efficiency and convenience need to be installed at places near railways, underground shopping arcades, and other ongoing construction (installation of single-storey underground bicycle parking facilities). The station and underground shopping arcade also have many users, requiring a high level of safety and consideration for the surrounding environment during construction.
ECO Cycle™ can handle a wide range of bicycles, including those with child seats, with each unit capable of accommodating 200 or more bicycles. Furthermore, it has excellent convenience, such as fast parking and retrieval without congestion even during peak hours. In addition, its underground frame structure is constructed using the SILENT PILER™ pile press-in and extraction machine of GIKEN. There is no risk of falling over as the machine works based on the mechanical principle of securely grasping piles already embedded in the ground. Construction can be done without vibration or noise while saving space. At the same time, the simple construction process allows for rapid completion.
■Planned location of installation
* Created by GIKEN LTD. based on the "Geospatial Information Authority of Japan Map Vector" (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, https://www.gsi.go.jp/ENGLISH/index.html)
■Project Overview
| Project name | Project to Install Underground Bicycle Parking Facilities in Front of Kobe Station |
|---|---|
| Location | Aioi-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi |
| Project Owner | City of Kobe |
| Prime Contractor | DAITETSU KOGYO CO., LTD. |
| Sub-contractor | GIKEN SEKO Co., LTD. |
■Profile of GIKEN Group
GIKEN developed the SILENT PILER™, the world’s first reaction-based, non-vibratory hydraulic pile driving machine that operates with minimal noise impacts. The GIKEN Group now actively promotes its press-in technology worldwide and contributes to the construction industry by proposing and implementing innovative solutions. The innovative press-in technology provides a unique solution and the adoption of this technology has spread to over 40 nations and regions.
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