moederscheim moonen builds sculptural timber-clad parking garage in the netherlands

in the netherlands, moederscheim moonen architects has completed a ‘park and ride’ facility that allows commuters to securely store their cars before traveling.

in the netherlands, moederscheim moonen architects has completed a ‘park and ride’ facility that allows commuters to securely store their cars before traveling. located in zutphen, 30 kilometers north-east of arnhem, the garage has been sited next to the town’s railway station, which in recent years has suffered from a lack of parking facilities. importantly, the design allows for an extra storey to be added in the case of increased demand.

conceived by moederscheim moonen architects, the structure accommodates 375 parked cars and more than 600 bicycles. the building forms part of zutphen’s noorderhaven district, a former industrial estate that has recently been transformed into a centrally positioned residential and commercial area. in both form and materiality, the parking garage has been designed to subtly reference the region’s historic warehouses.

the elongated building borders the two main underpasses that guide vehicular traffic and pedestrians beneath the railway line. at one end of the structure, the car park’s vertical circulation takes the form of two helix-shaped ramps, which expand as they move upwards. the façade at the opposite end of the building includes a clear reference to the warehouse typology with a gabled silhouette wrapped in wooden shutters.

galvanized columns, which again pay homage to the site’s once industrial nature, raise the building off the ground — a gesture intended to maximize daylight and insulation at street level. above, the structure is entirely clad with angled wooden slats, which allow natural light and ventilation inside the parking garage. vertical stripes of red steel, integrated within the elevations, include LED lighting strips, which are used to illuminate the building by night.