Bike Rack Bonanza: NY Picks Top 10 Finalists for City Bike Rack Designs
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 10. 5.08
Bike racks are a very cool form of public art. So hopefully New York will be able to artistically combine form and function when it picks from 10 intriguing international bike rack designs to start gracing New York's city streets. Last week 9 prototypes were installed for use at the city's Astor Place.
Part of PlaNYC's focus on sustainable transport
The City Racks Design Competition combed through around 200 entries and whittled down to these 10 (seven above, three after the jump). Criteria for the racks included durable materials, safety, the possibility for a two-point connection (bike secured to the rack at two separate points), and of course - though not mentioned - aesthetics. City Racks is choosing a standard for outdoor sidewalk racks but also wanted to find new concepts for inside commercial and public buildings.
New lanes AND access to parking
A study by the Department of City Planning found that lack of secure bike parking was one of the main hurdles to getting more bike commuters to ride to and from work. New York has thousands of racks already and plans to add a thousand more each year to double commuting by 2015, but City Rack desires a more iconic NYC-specific rack than the square steel tubes now on the sidewalks.
Google will use the new racks at NYC headquarters
A design team including musician and rack designer David Byrne (yes, that David Byrne) will make their decision on a rack later this month. Google has committed to use the new design at its city headquarters, and City Racks is hoping that other private buildings will use the new rack for secured bike parking. Via ::NY Timesand ::Copenhagenize
Read more
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Turning Bike Racks Into Works of Art
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I like the paperclip looking one, top right. It looks to be the most inexpensive to produce, locks up to four bikes as compactly as possible, and has simple iconic looks.
The top left one looks like it's been designed by somebody who doesn't cycle. How would you get a decent lock through at least one wheel and the frame? Think about style once function is sorted out.
I like the paperclip looking one, top right. It looks to be the most inexpensive to produce,