Thursday, November 11, 2010

Slim Rack

Slim Rack outside ECDC entrance

Visiondivision was commissioned to design a bike rack for the surrounding area of ECDC (European Centre of Disease prevention and Control) in Stockholm. To create an option that could compete with all the slightly boring looking pre-made bike racks, we designed a very slim, easy-to-produce module based on simple craftsmanship that can be multiplied in various options and also be adapted to the beautiful surroundings of the site.

Often do the pre-made average bike-racks come in one piece and the roof comes in another, thus not very well integrated with each other. This causes a rather clumsy product with a redundant material utilization.
Another problem is that the racks are designed with the idea that it could stand anywhere, which in reality means that it doesn’t fit perfectly anywhere.
By involving the craftsmanship aspect of our module system we can more easily
adapt to more complex situations and perform with an aesthetic that the campus demand.

The module has three functions; it should provide support to your bike and a possibility to lock it to the construction, it should also provide a roof. The design became a slim steel column that shapes itself after the requested functions. When two columns are placed back to back it becomes a Slim Rack. The Slim Racks are then placed in triangular shapes that can be multiplied in various combinations, making it adaptable to various sites at the ECDC Campus.

Since we put all functions into one pillar we could reduce unnecessary building mass. We could also produce a very slim construction since the length between different building parts becomes quite short. A single module needs only a thickness of 15 mm. Putting these two features together we end up with a very light construction that blends in by being thin and in some angles almost invisible. To make the construction even more invisible and adaptable to various situations the Slim Rack is painted in the same colour as the houses it is standing next to.

Slim Rack outside ECDC entrance

Two bent steel beams is welded together to a Slim Rack

The Slim Racks are welded together; U-profiles are locking the construction and holding the glass roof together

The racks can be produced in various shapes

Slim Rack detail

Details of extra function Slim Racks

The Slim Rack also served for some extra functions that were asked for in the project brief. The rack ís bended in the same manner to hold a small table, an ashtray and a garbage can for outdoor coffee breaks.

Facade of Slim Racks outside the main building

Facade of Slim Racks outside an annex