Electric Charging Stations for Scooter Rentals as Modal Exchange Zones in Urban Micromobility Interactions
-Design Concept
-STATION is an innovative solution for urban micromobility, designed to organize and optimize the use of electric scooters in the city. This project addresses issues of disorder and public space invasion that arise when users complete their trips, proposing charging stations as strategic modal exchange points.
-STATION aims to integrate seamlessly into the urban landscape, providing an organized and accessible space that promotes intermodality and enhances the mobility experience. Its functional and appealing design not only encourages use among current users but also contributes to the long-term adoption of sustainable transportation solutions.
NEED
Mobility in Bogotá faces multiple challenges, including severe traffic congestion, excessive use of cars for short trips, and a lack of proper infrastructure for micromobility. With the rise of electric scooters, there is a growing need to regulate their use, prevent the invasion of public spaces, and promote solutions that optimize urban mobility.
Additionally, cities are evolving into more dynamic environments where planning must respond to the interaction between people and space. The rapid adoption of single-person electric vehicles has transformed mobility habits, requiring infrastructure that integrates both functionally and aesthetically into the urban landscape.
OPPORTUNITY
The increasing use of electric scooters in cities has led to a shift in urban mobility, with greater acceptance among citizens and institutional support. In Bogotá, Resolution 209 of 2019 provides a regulatory framework for their operation, creating opportunities for the development of charging stations and modal exchange points.
This scenario enables the creation of strategic spaces that organize scooter use, enhance the user experience, and minimize the impact on public spaces. Furthermore, public-private initiatives can drive innovative solutions that promote more structured, sustainable mobility tailored to the city’s needs.
Develop the concept of an electric charging station for scooter rentals, promoting intermodality and improving the integration of micromobility into the city.
General Objective
Specifics Objectives
Design an optimal configuration that facilitates user interaction with the space, turning it into a meeting and resting point.
Analyze the urban aesthetic context to incorporate a functional and harmonious design within the charging station’s furniture.
Integrate the charging module into public spaces in compliance with the Master Mobility Plan and current regulations, prioritizing the use of renewable energy sources.
DESIGN METHODOLOGY
Eco-Design:
Sustainability strategies are applied in decision-making, considering product lifecycle analysis, the use of low-impact materials, efficient maintenance, and the integration of renewable energy sources.
User-Centered Design:
The user experience is prioritized in the electric scooter rental system, optimizing interaction with the space and creating intuitive interfaces for ease of use. This methodology includes context analysis, requirement definition, solution development, and evaluation.
Urban Environment Configuration:
The space is designed as a meeting and resting point within the city’s mobility dynamics. This approach fosters collective identity and user engagement through a harmonious integration with urban elements.
-THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
IMPACT OF SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY AND MICROMOBILITY
Sustainable mobility enables cities to evolve toward more efficient models, reducing pollution, improving quality of life, and optimizing resource use. To achieve this, it is essential to integrate public transportation, active mobility (walking and cycling), and micromobility options such as electric scooters and bicycles.
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Efficient urban planning: Integrating transportation with city design to reduce distances and improve accessibility.
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Traffic optimization: Using technology and management policies to reduce congestion.
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Environmental impact reduction: Implementing efficient public transport and promoting low-emission vehicles.
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Transport integration: Connecting different mobility modes to enhance the user experience.
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Responsible use of public space: Designing cities with infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, and micromobility users.
Micromobility, represented by bicycles and electric scooters, is a key solution for short-distance travel within cities, complementing public transportation and reducing car dependency. This transformation requires urban policies that prioritize safety, accessibility, and sustainability in public spaces.
COMPLETE STREETS: INTEGRATING MICROMOBILITY INTO THE CITY
The Complete Streets concept aims to redesign cities to accommodate all mobility users, including pedestrians, cyclists, public transportation, automobiles, and micromobility users. This approach ensures a more equitable distribution of space, promoting safe and efficient travel.
Key Features of a Complete Street:
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Infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists: Wide sidewalks, safe crossings, and dedicated bike lanes.
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Spaces for micromobility: Parking and charging areas for electric scooters and bicycles.
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Connectivity with public transportation: Intermodal stations that facilitate seamless transitions between different transport modes.
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Sustainability and efficiency: Reduced emissions, less congestion, and increased green spaces.
Micromobility is not only an efficient solution for short trips but also drives a transformation in urban design, fostering more accessible, livable, and sustainable cities.
Intermodality refers to the integration of different transportation modes into a single network, allowing users to choose the best combination based on their needs. A well-designed intermodal system enhances urban mobility by making travel safer, more convenient, and efficient.
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Reducing car dependency: Helps decrease urban congestion and promotes more sustainable transportation options.
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Improving travel efficiency: The combination of public transport, bicycles, and electric scooters speeds up commuting.
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Optimizing urban space: Infrastructure designed for seamless integration of multiple transportation modes.
The growing adoption of bicycles as a primary mode of transport has proven that reducing car dependency is possible. However, cities must expand their micromobility options by integrating electric scooters and other light vehicles for last-mile connections.
Key Infrastructure: Intermodal Hubs
An Intermodal Hub is a connection point where users can seamlessly switch between different transportation modes. These hubs facilitate intermodal mobility and optimize urban commuting.
Urban planning must evolve to support these changes, fostering more efficient and sustainable mobility while reshaping public perception and enhancing the use of urban spaces.
URBAN FURNITURE: Designng a sustainable and accessible city
Public spaces are the heart of the city. Well-designed urban furniture not only enhances quality of life but also fosters a sense of belonging and respect for the environment. Today’s cities must be inclusive, sustainable, modern, and versatile, offering comfortable and functional spaces for everyone.
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Accessible and comfortable spaces: Benches, bus stops, and waste bins for efficient waste management.
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Universal accessibility: Adaptable designs for children, the elderly, and people of shorter stature.
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Timeless identity: Versatile and modern elements that integrate into urban culture while remaining relevant over time.
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Efficiency & smart construction: Sustainable materials, easy-to-maintain structures, and optimized resource use.
Public spaces must evolve to incorporate charging and parking stations for light electric vehicles such as bicycles, scooters, and e-motorbikes. To promote sustainable mobility and encourage eco-friendly alternatives, while reducing traffic congestion and environmental impact, the following strategies are proposed:
✔ Utilization of public space for charging stations. ✔ Parking bays with preferential rates.
✔ Sidewalk and park infrastructure for electric vehicles.
SCENARIO AND URBAN AESTHETICS: Museo Nacional Station
Bogotá offers multiple locations for the installation of an electric charging station, thanks to the diversity of urban clusters that generate strategic flows within the city. The Museo Nacional station, located at Carrera 7.ª and Calle 28, is a key mobility hub, serving as a connection point for the TransMilenio system. It links Calle 26 and provides access to various historical, cultural, business, educational, and healthcare points of interest.
Additionally, this area is frequently visited by students, young professionals, and tourists, who represent a key audience for electric scooter rental services, driven by the innovative and aesthetic image they project as a sustainable mode of transportation.
The surroundings of the Museo Nacional station reflect Bogotá's evolving urban aesthetics. Enclosed by iconic elements such as the characteristic brickwork of Rogelio Salmona's architecture, emblematic buildings like Colpatria, and contemporary urban spaces like Bicentenario Park, this area serves as a transition point between different architectural styles. The combination of textures and materials—brick, cement, and stone in terracotta and yellow tones, wood in brown shades, and smooth metallic surfaces in TransMilenio structures—defines the area's visual identity and reinforces its significance within the city's urban landscape.
Diversification Points by Commercial Activity
-CONCEPT DESIGN
BASIC MORPHOLOGY
Charging Station (Basic Morphology)
DESIGN ALTERNATIVES
Street Furniture
Charging Module
Station
Charging Station - Scale 1:100
-DETAILED DESIGN
CHARGING STATION
COMPLEMENTARY FURNITURE
Sliding charging module integrated into public furniture.
Adaptation to Conventional Bus Stops
The designed furniture is modular and adaptable, allowing for easy replacement of parts to facilitate maintenance. It consists of serialized panels made from reused or recycled materials, ensuring sustainability and efficiency. Its intentionally segmented design enables the integration of the charging module for electric scooters, offering flexibility to expand or contract depending on the available space.
This system can be installed independently or as a complement to bus stops and public spaces, regardless of their size. In Bogotá D.C., the charging module integrates with the Tu Llave system, enabling quick and secure access to the scooter rental service.
IMPACT
The integration of charging stations in strategic urban spaces strengthens intermodality and enables more efficient last-mile journeys. Located at key connection points with mass transit systems, these stations expand users' awareness of alternative transportation options. Additionally, their modular design allows for flexible adaptation to different environments, optimizing public space and ensuring functionality regardless of available area. This implementation not only addresses the need for infrastructure to support sustainable mobility but also enhances the user experience by providing accessible solutions that seamlessly integrate into the urban landscape.
WHAT I LEARNED
Design in urban environments is deeply connected to its implementation context. Every decision must respond not only to user needs but also to how the city organizes and manages mobility. Through this project, I realized that a charging station is not just a functional point but a strategic element that must align with existing infrastructure to enhance intermodality. Moreover, I confirmed that urban furniture is not an end in itself but a tool to improve interactions between citizens and public spaces, adapting to the aspirations and dynamics of the environment.