Architecture and design firm Gensler is looking to create new paths for cyclists and pedestrians in London out of abandoned tunnels.
The project, called The London Underline, will make use of stretches of tunnel left behind from the city's Tube network, according to Co.Exist. Ian Mulcahey, co-director of Gensler London, said the tunnels will help handle the city's growing population and infrastructure.
"We could repurpose the larger spaces at the platform level and actually put in a whole series of things down there, whether it be routes for pedestrians and cyclists, click-and-collect retail, or places for buskers," Mulcahey added. "They would be like relief points from the rest of the city."
Gensler wants to power the paths by covering them with kinetic paving, which uses friction from cycle tires and shoes to generate electricity, the Daily Mail reported. The paths would also connect to bike lanes and bridges above ground.
London Underline currently consists of two pairs of tunnels, with one running from Holborn to Aldwych and the other from Green Park to beyond Charing Cross, Co.Exist reported. While the two paths aren't connected, Mulcahey believes he can create an interchange at Aldwych, which presents the possibility of the Underline extending 1.5 miles from Holborn to Green Park.
Gensler has different issues to take care of before making the paths available to London's residents, such as safety, traffic flow, security and broadband access.
"The tunnel is there. We could actually almost prototype the idea on a short stretch, perhaps from Holborn to Aldwych, and see if it works. If it doesn't, we can always board up the tunnel and abandon it again," Mulcahey said.
