When Cycles Are In

What if parked bicycles weren’t stationary, idle objects waiting to be used, but were instead, essential, valuable cogs in the machine of urbanity?

This series of images created using DALL·E 2’s text to image api, imagines new, somewhat fantastical bicycle parking infrastructure and systems as a way to invite creativity and innovation into the space. The following 6 scenarios are merely indicative of the myriad possibilities that could be.

What if bicycles were parked in clouds?

We would have to study which clouds and where are most stationary, which have the density to support a number of bicycles and which are located at strategic positions so that a pulley system could be created to connect the street to the cloud to ferry the bicycles up and down.

A huge, fluffy, white cloud with cycles parked in it

What if there were plants and trees that grew to form bicycle parking stands?

Though this idea hasn’t entered mainstream design and development yet, a research project at the university of Colorado has published findings on being able to grow architecture using some kinds of cyanobacteria.[1] Buildings and objects grown in this way will thus be living, breathing, air cleaning and self reviving.

A plant growing into the form of a bicycle stand who which are anchored two cycles

What if there were creatures who’s tummies cyclists could park in?

This could be a strange land where the lines between that which is living and that which is inanimate is very blurry. The cycles once parked inside a creatures tummy could be used by it to scratch its sore through until its rightful owner returns, at which time the creature will ingest it in one big gulp, pushing the cycle through its gut and out its posterior exit, back into the hands of the waiting cyclist.

A man cycling into the mouth of a creature to park his bike in its tummy

What if bicycle stands doubled as an orchestra of musical instruments?

Can you imagine a bicycle stand where each instrument has a cycle parking slot that unlocks access to that particular instrument? Musicians could cycle to the parking lot, insert their vehicles into an instrument of their choice and then spend as long as they link practising the same. This place could be a wonderful community location for musicians of different kinds to meet and practise together!

An orchestra of musical instruments that double as bicycle parking facilities

What if the world was powered by people cycling on parked bicycles?

With a looming energy crisis in many western countries around the world, its becoming easier to imagine alternatives such as wind and solar energy, but what if cycling was used to generate electricity for one’s own home and neighbourhood creating a more self reliant as well as healthier society of people.

a world where people cycle to generate electricity for them homes and neighbourhoods

Sources:

[1] Living Architecture, growing buildings from bacteria

https://designbuild.nridigital.com/design_build_review_feb20/living_architecture_growing_buildings_bacteria