BI-NODE 

THE BICYCLE TRANSIT CONNECTION 

We live in a society where we mostly use cars to get around. 25% of the total CO2 emissions worldwide is the result of transportation. My thesis explores how mobility strategies can play a major role in making neighborhoods more sustainable and multifunctional. 

In the future, when we have an environment where we run out of open space and where our existing infrastructure network gets more saturated, we will have to look for alternative transportation solutions. Instead of having the habit of driving from point A to B, we can bike (partly) to our destination. 

The idea is that a building, a new bridge crossing the canal, would become an infrastructure “node”, which functions as a transit center. People can park their car here or reach it by public transportation, and continue their trip to the center of Hasselt (BE). Having the most busy vehicle traffic in Limburg, the Kempische Steenweg serves as the right location for the transit center, in this way it will reduce the amount of cars in the city center. 

The bridge is not just a transit center, but a new public space and identity for the neighborhoods of both sides. This node connects Hasselt and the neighborhoods north of the canal physically and visibly as a park. The building also houses a cycling museum, a learning center, a bike café for people passing by, a bike store, and BMX park. It is a place where biking stands in the middle by connecting the transit center, the existing cycling networks, and different neighborhoods with each other.