IIT Master of Architecture student Matt Moore was a finalist in the WPA 2.0 student competition with this innovative re-use of car panels for bike sheds. Of course, the double entendre is more about the decline of the era of the automobile, and the return of the bicycle. It is interesting to note that Chicago still has yet to adopt a public bicycle scheme similar to Paris's Vélib and many other successful schemes in Europe and now in the United States. It is really such a shame as the city has the 2nd largest public transit infrastructure in the US. Also, the Loop offers extremely high densities particularly in the office sector, so such a service would surely be appreciated, especially with car parking being at a premium.
Speaking to some Chicagoans last week, I was introduced to the concept of bicycle valet service. After doing a little research I discovered that this fantastic service is now being offered to baseball fans when they go and see a Cubs game at Wrigley Field. Chase Bank also offer Chicagoans a free bicycle valet service at a very many of the summer festivals happening in and about the city. Valet parking for bikes could only ever been invented in the US. Here is an intriguing article from Time Magazine when the service was introduced to Californians back in 2007.
WPA 2.0: Working Public Architecture began as an open design competition seeking innovative, implementable proposals that place infrastructure at the heart of rebuilding our cities during this next era of metropolitan recovery. The competition, organized by UCLA's cityLAB, was inspired by the Depression-era Works Projects Administration and the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
WPA 2.0 Competition Results