So here’s a (neat) thing:

Via the Sustainable Cities Collective, here’s a pic of the new bike racks around Columbus, Ohio. It’s a big aesthetic step up on the standard, bland bike rack. And that’s a green roof on top, using plants to absorb rainwater. Innovative and pretty.

This interests me in large part because of some initiatives at McMaster around bikes and my courses working in a similar vein. McMaster is being overrun with bike racks and we still need to increase the number by 30% in order to meet the demand. This is a nice problem to have, but bike racks are typically a dull affair (so long as you aren’t talking about these stunning creations from David Byrne outside the Brooklyn Academy of Music:

People who are not me might have better insight into the significance of “Pink cRown” and “MicRo liP,” but they definitely qualify as interesting. And useful. So here’s my thought or challenge to my students in the bike courses: how might McMaster marry the functionality of more bike racks on campus with a more creative or aesthetic approach to design? Suggestions?