The fully automatic underground Vijzelgracht garage is the largest of its kind in the Netherlands and has 270 parking spaces. It is located on top of the Vijzelgracht metro station in Amsterdam. The hollow space above the station has been used as a parking garage. Due to the size and accessibility of this space, the choice for a fully automatic underground parking system was obvious. The underground parking helps to reduce cars parked on the streets in the busy city centre, to make room for greenery, cyclists and pedestrians. 

Entrance Cabins

Three small cabins are the only visible sign of the parking garage. Drivers leave their car in one of the cabins and the system takes care of the rest. The cabins were designed by Amsterdam Architect Angie Abbink and are made accessible by Compact folding doors by Rolflex. The cabins where designed with transparency in mind, using glass to showcase the advanced parking technology, provided by Lödige. The lightness and transparency of the cabins does justice to the elegance of the historic neighbourhood.

Compact doors

Where lightness and transparency was required, the concept required access doors that are almost invisible, while still being functional. The Compact door by Rolflex has a small footprint and can be customized to fit the strict needs of the designer in terms of colour and glazing. In this case, the larger industrial-type door has also been fitted with a wicket door, for easier access to the cabin. The Compact folding design blends in perfectly with the rest of the cabin, adding functionality to the cabin without compromising on transparency and lightness.