Architect CoveBurgess has come up with an idea to free up space in the public realm and help to reduce bike theft in cities at the same time.

The practice has designed an automated stacking storage concept for the Eco Cycle brand as a contemporary, secure method of storing up to 200 bikes below or above the ground, with a retrieval time of just 13 seconds. Whether installed in public spaces or within new residential and commercial buildings it provides the ideal solution for mass storage of bikes in cities, says the firm, whilst encouraging sustainable transport.

Eco Cycle can easily be incorporated into the design of new buildings, and there are other benefits including an income stream through charging, a saving on basement and circulation space and the fact that it provides function and activity to a façade. It is also more secure than racking in an open basement, allows for potential BREEAM and other planning benefits through over-providing cycle spaces, and the scope of usage is not restricted to the occupants of a building.