Design Responses > About Parking Facilities > Case Studies >
Public Realm
Tanashi - Asta Livin (Tokyo JP)

Underground and uncovered outdoor bike parking facility serving Asta Livin department store. Parking is provided for up to 1006 bicycles (80 freestanding for employees only). Access to the facility is open with outdoor parking and a ramp down to the underground parking area. Parking furniture consists of zigzag tier racks with inbuilt locks. These are controlled via vending machines that activate the locks and time the length of the stay in the facility. The whole system is called Cycle 21 and is made by Cycle Techno (one of the biggest bicycle parking solutions companies in Japan). Users can park 24hrs but typically intended for customer of the department store so the facility is staffed during the opening times between 0900-2200. The first two or three hours of parking are free and after that a ¥100 fee for every hour is charged (length of free time depends on where in the facility the user parks).

Provider
Seibu Saison Group. ASTA Livin Department store

Designer / Architect
Corporation Cycle Techno, post code 105-0004
The Tokyo Minato-ku Shinbashi 1-16-8,
Kureguran Shinbashi building
TEL 03-3504-0510, FAX 03-3504-0470, info@cycletechno.com

Cost of provision
Undisclosed information

Strengths
• It is a great facility and a great service for a customer going to this department store, it is a model to be copied by all sorts of retailers
• The higher tier racks on the zigzag racks are easier to use than the higher level racks found on double deck racks on other parking sites
• The site is in front of a train station but its pricing manages to discourage commuters and train users from leaving their bikes at this site

Weaknesses
• The underground gate does not have an ejection band or conveyor belt to help customers descending to ground level with their bikes, often loaded with shopping bags
• The outdoors racks were installed where there used to be wide pedestrian areas and the existing walkways are narrow now. Considering that these walkways are also the access to bicycles, and people have to walk too close to the racks space/safety issues may need to be considered

Useful References
www.asta.co.jp