Installation of ECO Cycle™ at Ichinohashi Park in Azabu Completed

GIKEN LTD. (Head Office: Kochi-shi, Kochi; President: Shinnosuke Moribe; hereafter “GIKEN”) has announced it has completed the installation of two ECO Cycle^TM automated parking facilities (Underground Model / total capacity: 400) in Ichinohashi Park near Azabu-juban Station (Minato-ku, Tokyo), opening the facilities as the Ichinohashi Park Bicycle Parking on July 31. The Ichinohashi Park Bicycle Parking was ordered as a bicycle parking improvement project by the ward, and the ECO Cycle facilities were installed with group company GIKEN SEKO CO., LTD. (Head Office: Kochi-shi; President: Akihiro Nishigawa) as a primary subcontractor. This is the fifth location in Minato-ku to have ECO Cycle installed. As bicycles with child seats are frequently used, the facilities utilise a new specification to accommodate a greater number of bicycles equipped with child seats.

Located in the very heart of the city, Azabu-juban is a popular place to live, but the area surrounding its gateway of Azabu-juban Station has been facing a lack of bicycle parking. A temporary parking lot for station users is in the vicinity, utilising the sidewalk for space, however this is planned to be removed in the future to ensure the area has safe and comfortable sidewalks. In place of this, a new and highly convenient bicycle parking lot was required.

Due to difficulties in securing land for a bicycle parking lot, the ECO Cycle^TM was considered for its ability to effectively utilise underground space for bicycle parking without interfering with the park itself. Since the installation site was adjacent to a nearby housing complex and the Metropolitan Expressway, it was necessary to ensure that the construction methods used were safe and minimised noise, vibrations, and any other disturbances to surrounding residents and structures.

The SILENT PILER^TM pile pressing-in and extracting machine securely grasps existing piles and, during construction, holds onto a position closer to the centre rather than the top of piles being pressed in. This method ensures that the machine and piles remain stable and eliminates the risk of toppling over during construction. Because this noise-free and vibration-free construction is possible, there is no effect on the surrounding structures. In addition to its superiority in terms of construction methods, the design has been evaluated highly for its space-saving execution due to compact machines.

The decision to adopt the facilities was influenced by its high level of convenience and safety, including quick loading and unloading that ensures users will not have to wait, even during peak usage periods in the morning and evening. The facility's track record of successful implementation and operation in four other locations within the ward (Roppongi Station, Sakurada Park, Mikawadai Park, Konan Star Park) also played a role in the decision.

For this project, the ECO Cycle^TM facility with a new specification was designed and developed in response to requests from Minato-ku made in anticipation of increased usage of bicycles with child seats.

The number of people using bicycles with child seats is increasing nationwide, and the new ECO Cycle specification is expected to meet similar demands in other regions as well. We will continue to promote new proposals, including newly developed specifications, and expand the deployment of the ECO Cycle facilities to support comfortable and functional community development in the future.

For more information on ECO Cycle^TM, please visit our website:
https://www.giken.com/ja/products/developments/eco_cycle/

■Profile of GIKEN Group
GIKEN developed SILENT PILER^TM, the world’s first reaction-based hydraulic pile jacking machine, installing piles without noise or vibration. 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.