Design firm Gensler has been awarded a London Planning Award for its London Underline concept – a network of cycle and pedestrian paths running beneath the city.

Gensler first came up with the idea for the London Underline in 2014. With London’s population higher than ever, the firm looked for ways to expand public space and offer alternative transport routes. The answer, they found, was underground in disused tube tunnels.

London has plenty of abandoned tube tunnels, stations and surplus infrastructure. By using these spaces and powering them with Pavegen tiles – tiles that run on a kinetic energy system allowing footfall to be transposed into electricity – Gensler’s design would be a sustainable, innovative option for capital.

Gensler’s vision for a sustainable, subterranean London

Ian Mulcahey, co-director of Gensler London said: “The adaptation of surplus and under-utilised tube and rail tunnels could provide a quick and simple addition to our infrastructure network.”

Following an announcement last month by Boris Johnson concerning new cycle superhighway for London, it’s clear that health, fitness and sustainability are high on the agenda for the city.

If the project goes ahead, the Underline would offer underground sites for shops, cafes, click and collect points, as well as event and exhibition spaces alongside its key role as a route for active commuting.

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