The New York City Department of Transportation, in conjunction with Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum, announced an international design competition for bike parking in New York City. With support from Google, Inc. and Transportation Alternatives, the competition seeks to develop attractive, functional, well-designed sidewalk racks and to generate new concepts to improve bicycle parking inside commercial and residential buildings.
The City intends to use the winning sidewalk rack as its new standard for bicycle parking and Google plans to install the in-building facility in its New York City offices. It may also be used by City-owned buildings in the future.
There are two areas of competition:
* Sidewalk Rack *
Register by March 30, 2008 This fixture should be functionally similar to the current CityRack: sturdy, able to be mass-produced, and mounted on sidewalks. Competitors may choose to design a “series” of fixtures in a “family” that has a consistent visual image but allows for variations such as color or the number of bicycles accommodated. Or they may submit just a single type of rack.
The new bus stop shelters, newsstands, sheltered bike-parking structures and public toilets serve as an exemple of what the City seeks in street furniture. The structures share a common design theme, creating a clean, cohesive image on the street. The structures have a light, transparent feel, yet are constructed of high-quality materials meant to withstand the rigors of New York City sidewalks.
* In-Building Parking Facility *
Register by March 30, 2008 This facility would serve as a place to secure bikes in residential or commercial buildings. Competitors should consider the scarcity and cost of space in New York and design facilities accordingly. The facility does not need to incorporate a standard rack fixture. To maximize space, competitors may develop alternative security strategies ranging from wall-mounted devices to locker systems.
Registration:
To register for this competition, submit a completed Online Registration Form at: http://nycityracks.wordpress.com.
