CITY OF TORONTO, BLOOR - ANNEX LEAF BIKE RACK
THE PROJECT
The bike rack was done with the Bloor-Annex BIA (business improvement area). The BIA was looking to install new bike racks as a part of a larger streetscape revitalization project.
I collaborated closely with the Bloor-Annex BIA panel as well as City of Toronto engineers. I supplemented the insight they gave me with my own field research on the needs of the Bloor-Annex community as well as the cycling community to design, prototype, engineer, and pitch my bike rack to the panel for their consideration.
City of Toronto engineers gave useful information such as existing infrastructure, potential safety hazards, and water pooling issues while BIA representatives elaborated on the standpoint of local businesses. Armed with this information, I designed a submission derived from a leaf. My submission was later chosen as one of two out of over 60 submissions to be built.
BLOOR - ANNEX
The Annex is a beautiful, lively district of Toronto characterized by the colorful streetscape and diverse small businesses. Cycling culture really flourishes in the annex with several bike shops that service the community.
The goal was to align the project with the character of the community and to highlight the culture of the environment. The ground level research and site visit gave insight into these aspects of the community I hoped to distill into the design.
CONCEPT
The initial concept took form in the shape of a leaf. The initial design was intended to highlight the environmental upside of cycling.
Increase in cycling in dense metropolitans can solve many problems present in the city. Congestion is reduced, air quality is improved, and general well-being of citizens increases; especially for those cycling to commute.
PROTO
TYPING
After initial concept ideation, wherever possible I like to prototype. Even at small scale in low fidelity. Prototyping is incredibly valuable to the iterative process. Seeing an object in 3D allows you to move the project out of your mind and off the paper very efficiently and coherently. The process of creating the models can trigger insights that weren’t previously considered.
FINAL
CONCEPT
The final concept reduces the original organic form of a leaf down to its most basic geometric derivative. I found in my research and through my own personal experience as an avid cyclist that most bike ring designs around Toronto are not very accommodating to a wide range of bikes and in a wide range of sizes.
The final design features vertical elements at two different angles to maximize touch point compatibility with all types of bikes from kid’s bikes, mountain bikes to road bikes. The design insures maximum usability.
Another focus in my design process was to minimize bike theft by allowing users to use the safest locking technique when using the bike rack. Many bike rack designs are not accommodating to the user as they offer very little points of contact that can be used to interface the lock, bike and rack together.
In my research I found that the safest way to lock a bike that is still reasonably convenient to commuters is to use a strong, reputable U-lock to lock the seat-post of the bike frame, the rear wheel and the bike rack together. And then additionally, use a chain to secure the front wheel to the U-lock. Because most wheels are quick release it is absolutely necessary to give users a way to secure the wheels.
