Mobility Hub

Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans

Mobility Hub

Archipelago + Polo

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
Ara, Vogt Landscape

SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANTS
Duss-explorers

MAIN CONTRACTOR
Bam Interbuild

DESIGN
Archipelago, Polo

SURVEYOR
Seco

MEP & HVAC
Sweco Structures

MANUFACTURERS
Hunter Douglas Architectural (Europe), Bateig, Florim, Zoontjens

SAFETY CONSULTANT
Evoplus

STRUCTURE ENGINEERS
B.a.s.

PHOTOGRAPHS
Johnny Umans

AREA
19400 m²

YEAR
2023

LOCATION
Mechelen, Belgium

CATEGORY
Parking, Institutional Buildings, Retail

The Mobility Hub at Eandistip in Mechelen demonstrates a new vision for parking infrastructure. The circular structure offers parking space for cars and bikes, as well as public rooftop terraces, box-in-box offices, and a local supermarket.

Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans

The structure also anticipates a shift towards shared and self-driving cars, with compact parking configurations that free up space for additional functions. As part of a larger urban development, the Mobility Hub aims to become a dynamic transition zone, sustaining a smooth traffic flow between the city center and the periphery.

AN ADAPTABLE STRUCTURE 

From the early design stages, different scenarios for future use were considered. We designed a structure that allows the program to be placed flexibly throughout the building, following the needs of the neighboring community and the ongoing urban development at Eandistip.

Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans

The floorplans are kept completely open with the help of loadbearing, prefabricated concrete X-elements in the facade, composing a grid of parallelograms. In section, each floor has an exceptional height of 336 cm, with no protruding beams.

The use of a box-in-box principle for insulated functions, such as the offices on the two upper floors, allows for maximum variety in the building’s program and floorplan layouts.

Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans

The circulation core is strategically placed between the two main volumes for the least possible obstruction and to allow easy access to different functions in the building. With the split-level landing of the stairs, the possibility of adding split levels for a more compact, automated car park is integrated into the design.

THE MODAL SHIFT

The car park takes up an essential role in the future of urban development. With the aim of removing as many cars as possible from the city center, new solutions are found, such as the Mobility Hub.

Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans

Right at the periphery of the historic city of Mechelen, the Mobility Hub allows car drivers to park their vehicles and switch to public and more sustainable transport. The design of the car park follows a modal shift in mobility by incorporating the capacity to adapt to different parking scenarios.

While there is an obvious choice to extend bike parking, there is also the option of self-driving and/or shared cars that could take up less parking space, creating more space for other functions in the building.

Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans

URBAN DEVELOPMENT

As a public building, the Mobility Hub offers more than parking space. To connect with an emerging residential neighborhood, the facility offers two large urban terraces with a panoramic view of the city of Mechelen. These terraces can be used by office workers (by day) and for public events (by night or on the weekend).

Over time, the terrace on the upper floor will become a garden terrace with fully-grown trees. On the ground floor, the Welkomstplein (Welcome Square) links the parking structure with daily life in the neighboring residential community.

Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans

The curvilinear plinth suggests a smooth movement in and out of the building, evoking the ambition of a strong structure that allows various urban flows to pass through and diverge.


Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans
Mobility Hub
© Johnny Umans


Mobility Hub
Ground Floor Plan
Mobility Hub
1st and 5th Floor Plan
Mobility Hub
7th Floor Plan
Mobility Hub
Roof Floor Plan


Mobility Hub
Section
Mobility Hub
Diagram - Parking Scenarios


Mobility Hub
Site Plan