From bicycle highways to a ban on the cul-de-sac, the built environment is the focus of many of The New York Times Magazine's ideas of the year.
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Thursday, December 31, 2009
Banning the Cul-de-Sac and Building Bike Highways
Banning the Cul-de-Sac and Building Bike Highways: "
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Sunday, December 13, 2009
dbd Studio - Digitally Fabricated Bookshelf
dbd Studio - Digitally Fabricated Bookshelf: "
We've been hard at work the past few weeks here at the offices of dbd Studio, and late last night we completed the installation of our most recent project. A custom bookshelf specifically designed and built for a condo in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington DC.
The owner had a severe lack of storage for household items, as well as no display options for objects collected from his worldwide travels. The large bookshelf serves as both an art piece in itself and a functional storage/display system.
An organic curving surface was created in Rhino that stretched from floor to ceiling and overhead, terminating at the existing bulkhead. 17 sheets of 3/4' birch plywood were then CNC milled to notch together and form the undulating, gridded mass.
dbd Studio (Design/Build/Develop) is located in the Washington, DC area specializing in restaurant/retail and custom furniture. CNC milling by Brand Vizion of Chantilly, VA.
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We've been hard at work the past few weeks here at the offices of dbd Studio, and late last night we completed the installation of our most recent project. A custom bookshelf specifically designed and built for a condo in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington DC.
The owner had a severe lack of storage for household items, as well as no display options for objects collected from his worldwide travels. The large bookshelf serves as both an art piece in itself and a functional storage/display system.Concept Rendering (click to enlarge)
An organic curving surface was created in Rhino that stretched from floor to ceiling and overhead, terminating at the existing bulkhead. 17 sheets of 3/4' birch plywood were then CNC milled to notch together and form the undulating, gridded mass.Construction Diagram (click to enlarge)
Special attention was paid to avoid interfering with the recessed lights, sprinkler heads, air vents and fire alarms along the hallway ceiling. The vertical plywood components were spaced to avoid them or notched to allow them to function.
Europe's Greenest Capitals List
Europe's Greenest Capitals List: "
The European Green City Index is out, sponsored by Siemens and developed by The Economist Intelligence Unit. Yet another index. This one determines which European cities are the greenest, using a slough of factors.
The Scandinavian capitals occupy the top 3: Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo. Helsinki is at number 7.
For the full list and all the methodology/statistics [so the Moncktonites have something to keep themselves busy] just click on these words you're reading right now.
The European Green City Index is out, sponsored by Siemens and developed by The Economist Intelligence Unit. Yet another index. This one determines which European cities are the greenest, using a slough of factors.
The Scandinavian capitals occupy the top 3: Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo. Helsinki is at number 7.
For the full list and all the methodology/statistics [so the Moncktonites have something to keep themselves busy] just click on these words you're reading right now.
Copenhagenize the planet. And have a lovely day.
"
LED Lane Lights for Cyclists and Motorists
LED Lane Lights for Cyclists and Motorists: "
The City of Copenhagen has implemented LED lights in four locations aimed at reducing the risk of right turn collisons between cars/trucks and cyclists.
Copenhagenize Consulting produced this info film for the City to use and figured I'd blog about it here.
The LED Lane Lights, as they're called, are located on the last stretch of bike lanes leading up to a busy intersection. They operate through sensors under the asphalt. When cyclists are registered, the lights start flashing and alerting turning vehicles to the prescence of cyclists.
One sensor is located under the asphalt on the separated cycle track right at the light, in order to register cyclists waiting for the light to change. When the lights turn green, the lane lights start flashing if cyclists are present.
There is also a sensor under the asphalt 25 metres farther back. If the lights are green and a cyclist comes riding at speed towards the intersection, the sensors are triggered here and the lane lights start flashing, allowing the cyclist to continue through the intersection.
The lights are visible in one direction. They are aimed at motorists - and truck drivers in particular - looking in their side mirror. Allowing them to flash the other way, visible to the cyclists, is considered to be a distraction for those on bicycles. We would really prefer for them to watch the traffic ahead, for obvious reasons.
When the lights are about to change, the LED lane lights stop flashing and, as the cyclists roll to a stop, the cars can turn.
It's worth mentioning that cars generally stop for cyclists here. Our motorists are cyclists, too, and the massive numbers of bicycles here in the world's cycling capital has trained everyone to take care.
Nevertheless, the City continues to work towards increasing our already impressive safety record for bicycles.
The City of Copenhagen has implemented LED lights in four locations aimed at reducing the risk of right turn collisons between cars/trucks and cyclists.
Copenhagenize Consulting produced this info film for the City to use and figured I'd blog about it here.
The LED Lane Lights, as they're called, are located on the last stretch of bike lanes leading up to a busy intersection. They operate through sensors under the asphalt. When cyclists are registered, the lights start flashing and alerting turning vehicles to the prescence of cyclists.
One sensor is located under the asphalt on the separated cycle track right at the light, in order to register cyclists waiting for the light to change. When the lights turn green, the lane lights start flashing if cyclists are present.
There is also a sensor under the asphalt 25 metres farther back. If the lights are green and a cyclist comes riding at speed towards the intersection, the sensors are triggered here and the lane lights start flashing, allowing the cyclist to continue through the intersection.
The lights are visible in one direction. They are aimed at motorists - and truck drivers in particular - looking in their side mirror. Allowing them to flash the other way, visible to the cyclists, is considered to be a distraction for those on bicycles. We would really prefer for them to watch the traffic ahead, for obvious reasons.
When the lights are about to change, the LED lane lights stop flashing and, as the cyclists roll to a stop, the cars can turn.
It's worth mentioning that cars generally stop for cyclists here. Our motorists are cyclists, too, and the massive numbers of bicycles here in the world's cycling capital has trained everyone to take care.
Nevertheless, the City continues to work towards increasing our already impressive safety record for bicycles.
Copenhagenize the planet. And have a lovely day.
"
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Filling in the Blanks
Filling in the Blanks: "
I live in a city called Frederiksberg, which is an independent enclave surrounded by Copenhagen. There's about 90,000 citizens in the city. The city has a well-developed bicycle infrastructure. You can't really not have it when you're surrounded by Copenhagen.
There are few streets left in the city that don't have separated bike lanes/cycle tracks/whatever you want to call them. One of the stretches is Thorvaldsensvej and the bike lane was finished just last week. It's pictured, above. Previously on this stretch there was a painted lane where there is now a physically separated lane.
With that said, it's certainly not every street that has separated bike lanes. The residential streets around our flat certainly don't. There isn't enough traffic to merit separation. It's only on streets that feature a certain numbers of cars each day. Normally, according to the Danish best practice guidelines for bicycle infrastructure a cycle track is implemented - replacing a painted bike lane - when the number of cars is over 6000 a day and the speed limit is 50 km/h. [If the speed limit is 30 km/h, 10,000 cars a day is the limit before separated cycle tracks are built]. What we're seeing, however, in many parts of Greater Copenhagen is that separated cycle tracks are being built even when the number of cars per day is lower.
This is a section of the city's plan for the Thorvaldsens street. For some strange reason many people seem to think that all of our cycle tracks continue up to the intersection. This isn't the case at all. It depends on traffic volume and the specific nature of the intersection in question.
On the plan you can see the cycle track on the right - the one that sweeps upward - ends well before the intersection and cars and bicycle mingle up to the light. The law in Denmark is that whoever gets there first decides. If a car is the first in the turn lane, the driver can choose to hug the curb or leave space for the cyclists. If it's curb-hugging, then the cyclists move around the car to wait on the left side. If cyclists get there first then it's obvious that they stick to the curb and motorists will wait to turn on the left side of the lane.
On the left side of the intersection the cycle track runs up to the intersection, although the stop line for cars is positioned five metres farther back, as it is in most intersections in Copenhagen. The number of cars turning right here is much lower than it is on the opposite side of the street.
The City of Copenhagen isn't shy to let the citizens know when new cycle tracks are on the way. The sign reads,
'More cycle tracks in the world's best cycling city'.
'It should be safe and secure to ride bicycles in Copenhagen. That's why we're building cycle tracks in Stormgade. If 50% of Copenhageners use the bicycle to get to work or school in 2015 we'll save 80,000 tonnes C02 each year.'
At time of writing this there are 338 km of cycle tracks, 19 km of cycle lanes and 39 km of green cycling routes. More are on the way. Add to that all the shared space streets and residential streets that do not require infrastructure.
We're filling in the blanks.
I live in a city called Frederiksberg, which is an independent enclave surrounded by Copenhagen. There's about 90,000 citizens in the city. The city has a well-developed bicycle infrastructure. You can't really not have it when you're surrounded by Copenhagen.
There are few streets left in the city that don't have separated bike lanes/cycle tracks/whatever you want to call them. One of the stretches is Thorvaldsensvej and the bike lane was finished just last week. It's pictured, above. Previously on this stretch there was a painted lane where there is now a physically separated lane.
With that said, it's certainly not every street that has separated bike lanes. The residential streets around our flat certainly don't. There isn't enough traffic to merit separation. It's only on streets that feature a certain numbers of cars each day. Normally, according to the Danish best practice guidelines for bicycle infrastructure a cycle track is implemented - replacing a painted bike lane - when the number of cars is over 6000 a day and the speed limit is 50 km/h. [If the speed limit is 30 km/h, 10,000 cars a day is the limit before separated cycle tracks are built]. What we're seeing, however, in many parts of Greater Copenhagen is that separated cycle tracks are being built even when the number of cars per day is lower.
This is a section of the city's plan for the Thorvaldsens street. For some strange reason many people seem to think that all of our cycle tracks continue up to the intersection. This isn't the case at all. It depends on traffic volume and the specific nature of the intersection in question.
On the plan you can see the cycle track on the right - the one that sweeps upward - ends well before the intersection and cars and bicycle mingle up to the light. The law in Denmark is that whoever gets there first decides. If a car is the first in the turn lane, the driver can choose to hug the curb or leave space for the cyclists. If it's curb-hugging, then the cyclists move around the car to wait on the left side. If cyclists get there first then it's obvious that they stick to the curb and motorists will wait to turn on the left side of the lane.
On the left side of the intersection the cycle track runs up to the intersection, although the stop line for cars is positioned five metres farther back, as it is in most intersections in Copenhagen. The number of cars turning right here is much lower than it is on the opposite side of the street.
The City of Copenhagen isn't shy to let the citizens know when new cycle tracks are on the way. The sign reads,
'More cycle tracks in the world's best cycling city'.
'It should be safe and secure to ride bicycles in Copenhagen. That's why we're building cycle tracks in Stormgade. If 50% of Copenhageners use the bicycle to get to work or school in 2015 we'll save 80,000 tonnes C02 each year.'
At time of writing this there are 338 km of cycle tracks, 19 km of cycle lanes and 39 km of green cycling routes. More are on the way. Add to that all the shared space streets and residential streets that do not require infrastructure.
We're filling in the blanks.
Copenhagenize the planet. And have a lovely day.
"
Ride Planet Earth - Climate Conference Bicycles
Ride Planet Earth - Climate Conference Bicycles: "Here's another bicycle event timed to coincide with the Climate Conference. It's called Ride Planet Earth
Here's a press release I recieved:
From Australia to Copenhagen on bike in the name of the Climate
Cyclists from around the globe will take to the streets on the 6th of December 2009, demonstrating the capacity and willingness of ordinary people to take action against climate change. Ride Planet Earth aims at helping convince world’s governments to take immediate action in order to close a global climate deal.
Participants will be recording video messages to address the COP15 Climate Conference, stating not only that public action is necessary, but also that they will be taking action personally, to demonstrate that ordinary people will take the lead if governments fail to reach an agreement.
Kim Nguyen - From Australia to Copenhagen by bike.
Ride Planet Earth, started by Kim Nguyen, has begun as a solo bicycle journey from Brisbane, Australia, to Copenhagen, Denmark, to collect messages from people already affected by global warming and their will for economic change. Over the course of the journey a mass solidarity movement has developed and bicycle rides are occurring on every continent as to promote radical alternatives to burning fossil fuel.
Join Ride Copenhagen
Join the last ride with Kim Nguyen who has travelled by bike all the way from Australia through Asia and Europe to Copenhagen. We start the Ride in the town of Roskilde but you can join the Ride along the way. We end the Ride at “The COme 2gether Café ' in the heart of Copenhagen.
DETAILS ABOUT THE RIDE
Starting point: at 10.00 AM at Hestetorvet - next to Roskilde Train Station (35 km left).
1. Pick up point: at 11.00 AM at Høje Taastrup Station (next to the train station) (25 km left).
2. Pick up point: app. at 13.15 PM at Damhustorvet (only 7km left).
End: at The COme 2gether Café , Borups Højskole, Frederiksholms Kanal 24.
Here's Kim in Thailand. Be sure to check out the website and the blog.
Here's a press release I recieved:
From Australia to Copenhagen on bike in the name of the Climate
Cyclists from around the globe will take to the streets on the 6th of December 2009, demonstrating the capacity and willingness of ordinary people to take action against climate change. Ride Planet Earth aims at helping convince world’s governments to take immediate action in order to close a global climate deal.
Participants will be recording video messages to address the COP15 Climate Conference, stating not only that public action is necessary, but also that they will be taking action personally, to demonstrate that ordinary people will take the lead if governments fail to reach an agreement.
Kim Nguyen - From Australia to Copenhagen by bike.
Ride Planet Earth, started by Kim Nguyen, has begun as a solo bicycle journey from Brisbane, Australia, to Copenhagen, Denmark, to collect messages from people already affected by global warming and their will for economic change. Over the course of the journey a mass solidarity movement has developed and bicycle rides are occurring on every continent as to promote radical alternatives to burning fossil fuel.
Join Ride Copenhagen
Join the last ride with Kim Nguyen who has travelled by bike all the way from Australia through Asia and Europe to Copenhagen. We start the Ride in the town of Roskilde but you can join the Ride along the way. We end the Ride at “The COme 2gether Café ' in the heart of Copenhagen.
DETAILS ABOUT THE RIDE
Starting point: at 10.00 AM at Hestetorvet - next to Roskilde Train Station (35 km left).
1. Pick up point: at 11.00 AM at Høje Taastrup Station (next to the train station) (25 km left).
2. Pick up point: app. at 13.15 PM at Damhustorvet (only 7km left).
End: at The COme 2gether Café , Borups Højskole, Frederiksholms Kanal 24.
Here's Kim in Thailand. Be sure to check out the website and the blog.
Copenhagenize the planet. And have a lovely day.
"
Ride Planet Earth - Climate Conference Bicycles
Ride Planet Earth - Climate Conference Bicycles: "Here's another bicycle event timed to coincide with the Climate Conference. It's called Ride Planet Earth
Here's a press release I recieved:
From Australia to Copenhagen on bike in the name of the Climate
Cyclists from around the globe will take to the streets on the 6th of December 2009, demonstrating the capacity and willingness of ordinary people to take action against climate change. Ride Planet Earth aims at helping convince world’s governments to take immediate action in order to close a global climate deal.
Participants will be recording video messages to address the COP15 Climate Conference, stating not only that public action is necessary, but also that they will be taking action personally, to demonstrate that ordinary people will take the lead if governments fail to reach an agreement.
Kim Nguyen - From Australia to Copenhagen by bike.
Ride Planet Earth, started by Kim Nguyen, has begun as a solo bicycle journey from Brisbane, Australia, to Copenhagen, Denmark, to collect messages from people already affected by global warming and their will for economic change. Over the course of the journey a mass solidarity movement has developed and bicycle rides are occurring on every continent as to promote radical alternatives to burning fossil fuel.
Join Ride Copenhagen
Join the last ride with Kim Nguyen who has travelled by bike all the way from Australia through Asia and Europe to Copenhagen. We start the Ride in the town of Roskilde but you can join the Ride along the way. We end the Ride at “The COme 2gether Café ' in the heart of Copenhagen.
DETAILS ABOUT THE RIDE
Starting point: at 10.00 AM at Hestetorvet - next to Roskilde Train Station (35 km left).
1. Pick up point: at 11.00 AM at Høje Taastrup Station (next to the train station) (25 km left).
2. Pick up point: app. at 13.15 PM at Damhustorvet (only 7km left).
End: at The COme 2gether Café , Borups Højskole, Frederiksholms Kanal 24.
Here's Kim in Thailand. Be sure to check out the website and the blog.
Here's a press release I recieved:
From Australia to Copenhagen on bike in the name of the Climate
Cyclists from around the globe will take to the streets on the 6th of December 2009, demonstrating the capacity and willingness of ordinary people to take action against climate change. Ride Planet Earth aims at helping convince world’s governments to take immediate action in order to close a global climate deal.
Participants will be recording video messages to address the COP15 Climate Conference, stating not only that public action is necessary, but also that they will be taking action personally, to demonstrate that ordinary people will take the lead if governments fail to reach an agreement.
Kim Nguyen - From Australia to Copenhagen by bike.
Ride Planet Earth, started by Kim Nguyen, has begun as a solo bicycle journey from Brisbane, Australia, to Copenhagen, Denmark, to collect messages from people already affected by global warming and their will for economic change. Over the course of the journey a mass solidarity movement has developed and bicycle rides are occurring on every continent as to promote radical alternatives to burning fossil fuel.
Join Ride Copenhagen
Join the last ride with Kim Nguyen who has travelled by bike all the way from Australia through Asia and Europe to Copenhagen. We start the Ride in the town of Roskilde but you can join the Ride along the way. We end the Ride at “The COme 2gether Café ' in the heart of Copenhagen.
DETAILS ABOUT THE RIDE
Starting point: at 10.00 AM at Hestetorvet - next to Roskilde Train Station (35 km left).
1. Pick up point: at 11.00 AM at Høje Taastrup Station (next to the train station) (25 km left).
2. Pick up point: app. at 13.15 PM at Damhustorvet (only 7km left).
End: at The COme 2gether Café , Borups Højskole, Frederiksholms Kanal 24.
Here's Kim in Thailand. Be sure to check out the website and the blog.
Copenhagenize the planet. And have a lovely day.
"
Sunday, November 29, 2009
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The Destructive Power of Individual Bicycle Haters
The Destructive Power of Individual Bicycle Haters: "
It takes the appearance of many cyclists on the urban landscape to start changing the perception of societies about the role of the bicycle as an accepted, respected and feasible transport form.
All too often, it only takes one anti-bicycle individual on a personal crusade to ruin it for everybody.
The Crown Prince of Anti-Bicycle LandAlthou has to be Rob Andersen, of San Francisco. He has succesfully halted all implementation of bicycle infrastructure in that city for almost three years. The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting today, however, that there is hope on the horizon. The city has 45 projects ready to go and they were given green lights today for starting them - as long as they can easily be reversed, since another hearing is scheduled for June 2010.
Mr Comedy, R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.'s verbal bowel movement has attained cult status since we posted his piece from 1980. Although he's so silly that it's hard to take him seriously.
Toronto has an elected official on a crusade called Councillor Michael Walker to thank for negative bicycle intiatives. Thanks to him the tide risks being reversed in that city.
Philadelphia's Mayor Nutter is on the right [cycle] track, but he's now up against Councilman Frank DiCicco, who is making right-wing noise and launching his personal war on bikes by wanting bicycle registration.
Philip L. Graitcer is a one-man wrecking ball. He has managed to completely split the World Health Organisation with his eagerness to promote helmets. Half of the WHO would rather promote public health but he has been vocal in swinging it the other way. His connections to the auto industry certainly don't help his street cred.
We even have such individuals here in Denmark, in positions of influence at the car-centric Danish Road Safety Council, happily manipulating statistics and the press.
The power of the individual is usually a force that can be transferred into strengthening the Common Good but it's quite amazing to see how so many of these individuals gain so much influence and use it against increasing the modal share for bicycles and all the benefits to be gained from doing so.
Not surprisingly, most of them seem to be men, but there may be exceptions.
Feel free to add your personal favourite to the Anti-Bicycle Hall of Shame in the comments.
It takes the appearance of many cyclists on the urban landscape to start changing the perception of societies about the role of the bicycle as an accepted, respected and feasible transport form.
All too often, it only takes one anti-bicycle individual on a personal crusade to ruin it for everybody.
The Crown Prince of Anti-Bicycle LandAlthou has to be Rob Andersen, of San Francisco. He has succesfully halted all implementation of bicycle infrastructure in that city for almost three years. The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting today, however, that there is hope on the horizon. The city has 45 projects ready to go and they were given green lights today for starting them - as long as they can easily be reversed, since another hearing is scheduled for June 2010.
Mr Comedy, R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.'s verbal bowel movement has attained cult status since we posted his piece from 1980. Although he's so silly that it's hard to take him seriously.
Toronto has an elected official on a crusade called Councillor Michael Walker to thank for negative bicycle intiatives. Thanks to him the tide risks being reversed in that city.
Philadelphia's Mayor Nutter is on the right [cycle] track, but he's now up against Councilman Frank DiCicco, who is making right-wing noise and launching his personal war on bikes by wanting bicycle registration.
Philip L. Graitcer is a one-man wrecking ball. He has managed to completely split the World Health Organisation with his eagerness to promote helmets. Half of the WHO would rather promote public health but he has been vocal in swinging it the other way. His connections to the auto industry certainly don't help his street cred.
We even have such individuals here in Denmark, in positions of influence at the car-centric Danish Road Safety Council, happily manipulating statistics and the press.
The power of the individual is usually a force that can be transferred into strengthening the Common Good but it's quite amazing to see how so many of these individuals gain so much influence and use it against increasing the modal share for bicycles and all the benefits to be gained from doing so.
Not surprisingly, most of them seem to be men, but there may be exceptions.
Feel free to add your personal favourite to the Anti-Bicycle Hall of Shame in the comments.
Copenhagenize the planet. And have a lovely day.
"
New Bicycle Bridges Over Copenhagen Harbour
New Bicycle Bridges Over Copenhagen Harbour: "
The winning design for a new bicycle bridge over Copenhagen's Inner Harbour.
The current efforts of the city of Copenhagen to encourage more citizens to choose the bicycle have given us a lot of new, exciting infrastructure, not least in the form of bridges. Now there are four new bridges on the way exclusively for bicycles and pedestrians.
For example above, at left, is Åbuen, a bicycle/pedestrian bridge over the busy Å Boulevard which is part of the Green Path bicycle motorway. At right is Bryggebroen, the bridge over the harbour from the Vesterbro neighbourhood to Iceland Quay. The latter features almost 10,000 cyclists a day and that's expected to increase when the infrastructure link to the existing bicycle lanes is completed on the north side.
There are, of course, main bridges over the harbour. Langebro and Knippels Bridge both have over 20,000 cyclists a day each on the bike lanes parallel to the car lanes but the two bicycle/pedestrian bridges pictured above have created increased mobility and short cuts for bicycles and shortened travel times by bike for thousands and thousands of cyclists.
The harbour was decommercialized a decade or so ago and the city is now revitalizing this newly-won real estate. The harbour is cleaned up and Copenhageners now swim in it. It really has changed the face of the city this harbour liberation.
Earlier this year The City of Copenhagen launched a invitation only design competition for a network of new bicyle/pedestrian bridges over the ancient harbour of the city and the winners were announced last month.
What the city needs is access across the harbour farther east, closer to the city centre on the Inner Harbour. Our new Opera and the former military area called Holmen, which now features the National Film School, School of Architecture, National Theatre School and others, as well as new flats would benefit greatly from increased access.
As you can see on the map, a network of bridges is needed. A long bridge over the inner harbour and shorter bridges over some of the canals to link up the places mentioned above.
This being Copenhagen, a bicycle bridge was the first and only thought. Funnily, in the Danish press the bridges are almost always referred to as 'bicycle bridges' even though we all know they are for pedestrians, too. Such is the status and role of the bicycle in this city. Call it a 'pedestrian bridge' and it sounds recreational - something you promenade on. Call it a 'bicycle bridge' and suddenly everyone gets it. They think commuting, quicker route to work, shorter travel time, etc.
The Inner Harbour Bridge
The jury of the design competition ended up selecting different winners. One for the long section over the harbour and another for the short canal bridges. Here's the winning entry for the Inner Harbour Bridge from the consortium of Flint & Neill and Studio Bednarski.
A Danish journalist was quick to dub it The Kissing Bridge and the name seems to be sticking. It's a rare form of bridge in that it is retractable - as opposed to a swing bridge or a drawbridge. It looks like two tongues reaching out for each other.
The bridge is 180 m. long, with decks that are 7 m. wide and it opens for ships with a sliding mechanism, allowing for a 50 m. wide opening.
The jury was unanimous in choosing The Kissing Bridge as the winner. They said, among other things:
'... a compelling overall concept and an attractive design that will help form the identity of the site in the future. This horizontal span into the harbour space is beautifully conceived and magical in use. The bridge forms a horizontal movement that is both figuratively and physically dependent on the use of the bridge and on the perceptions of its beholders, a movement that strengthens identification of the horizontal aspect of the harbour space as it is today.'
The Canal Bridges
The winning design for the Canal Bridges was won by WTM with Dietmar Feichtinger Architects.
The jury's conclusion included these words:
'The lightness of the bridge design seems very well founded in the urban context, with its apparent connection with the simplicity we would normally associate with landing stages in harbours. It's an exemplary natural expression in a minimalist functionality. The idiom is so small in scale that there is no hint of monumentality whatsoever, in complete contrast to the urban landscape, but in this way it adapts itself in the best possible way to the contextual whole.'
There are many high-masted sailboats in the canals so these bridges have to be openable as well. And praising this design by saying 'no hint of monumentality whatsoever' really speaks volumes about the Danish design culture and tradition. We don't fancy monumentality. We want elegance and functionality, thank you very much.
The bridges are expected to be completed by Spring 2012.
The full Jury report about the finalists is availabe as a pdf on The City of Copenhagen's website for the architecture-minded among us. You can see the other finalists as well, including some world-class architects. As architecture competitions go, the Danish tradition of transparency applies here as well. You can see how many points the bids got, what the jury thought and really feel as though you're part of the selection process. Not at all secretive or elitist. Refreshing, really.
The winning design for a new bicycle bridge over Copenhagen's Inner Harbour.
The current efforts of the city of Copenhagen to encourage more citizens to choose the bicycle have given us a lot of new, exciting infrastructure, not least in the form of bridges. Now there are four new bridges on the way exclusively for bicycles and pedestrians.
For example above, at left, is Åbuen, a bicycle/pedestrian bridge over the busy Å Boulevard which is part of the Green Path bicycle motorway. At right is Bryggebroen, the bridge over the harbour from the Vesterbro neighbourhood to Iceland Quay. The latter features almost 10,000 cyclists a day and that's expected to increase when the infrastructure link to the existing bicycle lanes is completed on the north side.
There are, of course, main bridges over the harbour. Langebro and Knippels Bridge both have over 20,000 cyclists a day each on the bike lanes parallel to the car lanes but the two bicycle/pedestrian bridges pictured above have created increased mobility and short cuts for bicycles and shortened travel times by bike for thousands and thousands of cyclists.
The harbour was decommercialized a decade or so ago and the city is now revitalizing this newly-won real estate. The harbour is cleaned up and Copenhageners now swim in it. It really has changed the face of the city this harbour liberation.
Earlier this year The City of Copenhagen launched a invitation only design competition for a network of new bicyle/pedestrian bridges over the ancient harbour of the city and the winners were announced last month.
What the city needs is access across the harbour farther east, closer to the city centre on the Inner Harbour. Our new Opera and the former military area called Holmen, which now features the National Film School, School of Architecture, National Theatre School and others, as well as new flats would benefit greatly from increased access.
As you can see on the map, a network of bridges is needed. A long bridge over the inner harbour and shorter bridges over some of the canals to link up the places mentioned above.
This being Copenhagen, a bicycle bridge was the first and only thought. Funnily, in the Danish press the bridges are almost always referred to as 'bicycle bridges' even though we all know they are for pedestrians, too. Such is the status and role of the bicycle in this city. Call it a 'pedestrian bridge' and it sounds recreational - something you promenade on. Call it a 'bicycle bridge' and suddenly everyone gets it. They think commuting, quicker route to work, shorter travel time, etc.
The Inner Harbour Bridge
The jury of the design competition ended up selecting different winners. One for the long section over the harbour and another for the short canal bridges. Here's the winning entry for the Inner Harbour Bridge from the consortium of Flint & Neill and Studio Bednarski.
A Danish journalist was quick to dub it The Kissing Bridge and the name seems to be sticking. It's a rare form of bridge in that it is retractable - as opposed to a swing bridge or a drawbridge. It looks like two tongues reaching out for each other.
The bridge is 180 m. long, with decks that are 7 m. wide and it opens for ships with a sliding mechanism, allowing for a 50 m. wide opening.
The jury was unanimous in choosing The Kissing Bridge as the winner. They said, among other things:
'... a compelling overall concept and an attractive design that will help form the identity of the site in the future. This horizontal span into the harbour space is beautifully conceived and magical in use. The bridge forms a horizontal movement that is both figuratively and physically dependent on the use of the bridge and on the perceptions of its beholders, a movement that strengthens identification of the horizontal aspect of the harbour space as it is today.'
The Canal Bridges
The winning design for the Canal Bridges was won by WTM with Dietmar Feichtinger Architects.
The jury's conclusion included these words:
'The lightness of the bridge design seems very well founded in the urban context, with its apparent connection with the simplicity we would normally associate with landing stages in harbours. It's an exemplary natural expression in a minimalist functionality. The idiom is so small in scale that there is no hint of monumentality whatsoever, in complete contrast to the urban landscape, but in this way it adapts itself in the best possible way to the contextual whole.'
There are many high-masted sailboats in the canals so these bridges have to be openable as well. And praising this design by saying 'no hint of monumentality whatsoever' really speaks volumes about the Danish design culture and tradition. We don't fancy monumentality. We want elegance and functionality, thank you very much.
The bridges are expected to be completed by Spring 2012.
The full Jury report about the finalists is availabe as a pdf on The City of Copenhagen's website for the architecture-minded among us. You can see the other finalists as well, including some world-class architects. As architecture competitions go, the Danish tradition of transparency applies here as well. You can see how many points the bids got, what the jury thought and really feel as though you're part of the selection process. Not at all secretive or elitist. Refreshing, really.
Copenhagenize the planet. And have a lovely day.
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Sürdürülebilir Şehri Bölgelemek
Sürdürülebilir Şehri Bölgelemek: "Yaklaşık 1 hafta önce Seçim Günü, Bloomberg Yönetimi ilki 2002'de gerçekleşen 100. bölgeleme değişimini duyurdu. New York şehrinde bölgeleme sistemi, şehrin konut alanlarının, çalışanlarının ve turistlerin yaşam kalitelerini arttırmak ve kentin sürdürülebilirliğini sağlamak için en önemli düzenleyici araçlardan biri."
İstanbul'un "son 100 yılı" hakkında kısa bir değerlendirme
İstanbul'un "son 100 yılı" hakkında kısa bir değerlendirme: "Upuzun tarihi geçmişi içinde 'güzel İstanbul'umuz, belki de en yoksul, en hüzünlü, en zor günlerini erken 20.y.yılın, yani 1900'lü yılların ilk dönemlerinde yaşamıştı."
decaARCHITECTURE - Aloni House
decaARCHITECTURE - Aloni House: "
Greek design firm decaARCHITECTURE has won the Piranesi Award with their Aloni House in Antiparos, Greece. The house fills the void between two retaining walls that bridge a 'saddle' between adjacent hills. The landscape of the hill flows cleanly over the house, blending in seamlessly. Four courtyards bring light into the living spaces.
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Greek design firm decaARCHITECTURE has won the Piranesi Award with their Aloni House in Antiparos, Greece. The house fills the void between two retaining walls that bridge a 'saddle' between adjacent hills. The landscape of the hill flows cleanly over the house, blending in seamlessly. Four courtyards bring light into the living spaces.
Revitalization, Without Gentrification
Revitalization, Without Gentrification: "
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That's the trick architect Gregory Henriquez is trying to pull off in a rundown section of Vancouver, in one of the biggest redevelopment projects the city has seen yet.
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The Totalitarianism of Le Corbusier
The Totalitarianism of Le Corbusier: "
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Le Corbusier's influence as an architect has spanned generations. Theodore Dalrymple argues he is more appropriately classified as a totalitarian.
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New pedestrian crossings in town
New pedestrian crossings in town: "Source: Planning Livable Communities
3 posts in 24 hours : 5 posts in 4 weeks
Stunning Stereoviews: Historical Photos Show Past in 3D
Stunning Stereoviews: Historical Photos Show Past in 3D: "
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[Whoops! Double-WU Jeopardy: Also See: This Just Published]
The opportunity to catch a glimpse at life in a long-ago era in 3D is rare indeed, but thanks to the stereoviews taken by photographer T. Enami, Meiji Japan in the early 1900s momentarily appears vivid and immediate. Enami was Japan’s most prolific stereo-photographer, and his stereoviews have appeared in National Geographic Magazine and many books.
Each pair of images captured by Enami, ranging from landscapes and sedate scenes of country life to humorous photographs of beefy men bathing nude, has been assembled in a Flickr gallery by Okinawa Soba and transformed into animated GIFs by Pink Tentacle.
In traditional stereoscopic photography, a three-dimensional illusion is created from a pair of 2-D photographs that represent two slightly different perspectives of the same object or scene. The deviation between the two photographs is similar to the perspectives that both eyes naturally receive in binocular vision.
Such images are normally viewed in 3-D using a stereoscope, but ‘freeviewing’ is also possible, with a process that involves putting one’s eyes directly over the images and slowly backing away while focusing on the single merged, out-of-focus picture that appears.
Enami was an enigmatic figure for many decades after his death, but information provided by his descendents in 2006 helped bring together a stunning collection of work. The online archive of his photographs represents only a small fraction of his remarkable legacy.
Creative Photogram and Pinhole Photography
Some of the most amazing photography doesn't use a camera at all. These incredible images were produced using ancient methods - no lenses required. Click Here to See More
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ISAMU NOGUCHI, KENZO TANGE, AND THE BIRTH OF MODERNISM IN JAPAN
ISAMU NOGUCHI, KENZO TANGE, AND THE BIRTH OF MODERNISM IN JAPAN: "
designKULTUR:
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I was looking through my books about Noguchi, searching for references to his Bamboo Basket Chair (I knew I’d seen a black and white photograph of it somewhere years ago). Here’s what I learned about this beautiful piece of modernism:
The [August 1950] Mitsukoshi show also included a chair with a woven-bamboo seat backrest. Noguchi designed this piece for export, with the bamboo elements — produced in the same way as traditional fish baskets — to be fabricated in Japan and shipped to the United States. There they would be attached to bent-metal frames, manufactured in America. The chair remained a unique prototype, but the next year Noguchi was able to realize his ambition of encouraging local production through the export of modern design.
– Bruce Altshuler. Noguchi. Abbeville Modern Masters. New York: Abbeville , 1994, p. 58
When I finally found the reference (I love that chair!), what was especially interesting was the text immediately above and below this particular picture. It tells how Noguchi began the process of realizing his “ambiton” via the design of his Akari for production in Gifu, near Lake Biwa in Kansai.
It was on his way to Hiroshima to discuss his bridge proposal that Noguchi first visited the town of Gifu, known for its manufacture of umbrellas and lanterns from mulberry-bark paper. Having heard of his design work, the mayor asked him to create contemporary lamps using the traditional bamboo-and-paper construction. That evening Noguchi sketched his first two Akari (the word means “light as illumination) light sculptures … He viewed each Akari basically as two sculptures, one when light was reflected off it, and another when light was emitted from it.
– Bruce Altshuler. Noguchi. Abbeville Modern Masters. New York: Abbeville , 1994, p. 58
From that evening, Noguchi went on to design and produce more than 100 Akari designs. They must have felt like children to him.
I’ve always said no home is complete without at least one Akari (IKEA knockoffs don’t count). I know they’re ridiculously expensive in North America (all those middle-people), but if you’re ever in Japan, stock up: they’re priced just right over there.
Isamu Noguchi. Memorial to the dead, Hiroshima, 1952. Model showing section through underground (projected to be built of black granite); proposed height above ground: 6 metres. Proposal rejected.
The four photographs above a from Isamu Noguchi. Text by Sam Hunter. New York: Abbeville Press, 1978:
While Noguchi was overseeing his two bridge railings in Hiroshima, the other giant of twentieth-century Japanese design, Kenzo Tange, was nearby working on his Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and other works in Hiroshima.
It was here, in the early 1950s, that modern Japan began.
Kenzo Tange, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Hiroshima, 1952.
Isamu Noguchi (second from left) and Kenzo Tange (third from left), visit the West Peace Bridge [Yuku] to supervise construction, 1951.
Courtesy of Chugoku Shimbun.
designKULTUR:
9 AKARI BY ISAMU NOGUCHI
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