Activity 1: Research/Discussion
1. A few days before the lesson, ask students to pay attention to any bike racks they see on their way to and from school. Whether they walk, take public transportation or are driven, direct them to keep their eyes out for bike parking they might pass on their way. Hand out a worksheet with the following questions:
- Where is this bike rack located?
- What shape is this bike rack?
- Is this bike rack being used?
- Does this bike rack use space efficiently?
2. To begin the first period of the lesson, lead a short open- ended discussion about local bike racks using the questions from #1 as a guide. The goal for this discussion is to gain a general sense of bike parking in the area and to get the students to make a list of criteria for evaluating which bike racks/locations are most/least effective. Consider taking notes on an easel in order to keep a record of this and all future discussions.
3. After this discussion, divide students into small groups and instruct them to visit the CityRacks website to familiarize themselves with the competition. Ask them to concentrate on the bottom section of the website (Let the Competition Begin!) to get a sense of what designers were asked to do.
For more information, point students to the competition‘s Design Guidelines: (https://nycityracks.wordpress.com/design-guidelines) to get an idea of the practical concerns involved with designing bike racks.
For homework ask students to look at the competition finalists. Give out a sheet with the following design teams listed and ask students to take notes on each:
- Andrew Lang and Harry Dobbs
- BaroniValeriani architetti
- beetlelab
- Federico Otero
- Francis Anthony Bitonti (FADarch)
- Ignacio Ciocchini
- Jeff Miller & Andrea Ruggiero
- Next Phase Studios
- Stephan Jaklitsch
- Tim Kirkby
Activity 2: Evaluation and Invention
1. For the second day/period of the workshop instruct students to get back into their groups from the day before.
Have them compare notes from their homework and agree on a ranking (1-10) for the design teams. Explain that this will be a negotiation and that they should use the criteria generated during the initial discussion as well we information from the Design Guidelines to determine which bike racks are the most successful.
2. Have each team share their work with the class, explaining reasons for the top three design teams on each of their lists.
3. For the last part of the workshop, instruct student teams to imagine they are entering a version of the CityRacks competition for their own community. Their directive is to come up with a proposal for a bike rack design for their own community. Instruct students that their designs should be inventive, visually interesting, effective and efficient. Designs should meet the list of criteria generated by the class as well as the Design Guidelines.
Proposals can involve sketches, writing, and collage materials.—whatever means students feel will serve their purposes most effectively. This should start as a free flowing, brainstorming process where the outcome is less important than the process. Students will be instructed to think like designers, and will have the tools they need to do so. Most important in this process is the ideas, not the “look” of the finished proposal.
4. To conclude, have student groups present their proposals to the class.