ICTbikerack

If you’re a cyclist, you have undoubtedly struggled to lock your bike to a rack that was clearly not designed by anyone who has ever ridden a bicycle. You’ve probably also noticed that most bike racks are not particularly interesting or creative. We all want our new baseball stadium to be special, so the bike racks need to be as well!

Think about what makes a bike rack both functional and fabulous, sketch your design, and get it to us one of three ways:

Instagram post: @ICTbikerack

Facebook post: this page, @ICTbikerack

Email: [email protected]

We don’t need technical drawings (although feel free to use CAD or whatever program you like best), but please do try to explain your idea as clearly as possible in one image. The submission deadline is December 31, 2019.

You may enter as many times as you like with different designs. Anyone is welcome to participate: you don’t have to be a cyclist, or an artist, or a designer, or an engineer...just someone who loves to come up with fun new ideas and wants to be a part of one of the biggest projects in downtown’s history!

The designs will be evaluated by a panel of three judges, all cyclists themselves, and the best one for each entry zone will be fabricated by a local metalworker. The three winning designers will receive gift certificates from Bicycle X-Change. There’s also a People’s Choice award, which may or may not be built, depending on whether or not it is chosen by the judges; regardless, the People’s Choice winner will receive a great prize: a brand new helmet from Heartland Bicycle! Vote for your favorite design by "liking" a posted sketch on this page or Instagram (@ICTbikerack).

Things to think about when brainstorming The Perfect Bike Rack:

CONTEXT: the design should relate somehow to one of the three locations. Consider aesthetic conditions/architectural styles/cultural features/types of businesses/etc. that make each adjacent neighborhood unique, and try to reflect that in your bike rack concept.

BUILDABILITY: you don’t have to figure out how to build it, but our fabricator should be able to! A photo of a clear pencil or pen drawing/computer rendering/photo montage/photoshop image/Sketchup model/digital drawing/sketch on a napkin/whatever works, showing both sides and any defining features will help us stay as close to your vision as possible.

STANDARDIZED UNITS: we hope that a lot of people will ride their bikes to the stadium, so your design should look great multiplied, if we need to expand the racks in the future.

SECURITY: the primary function of a bike rack is to prevent someone from stealing your bike, so make sure there are sturdy, thick (1 ½” diameter or cross-section seems to work well) closed-loop members in your design that can easily accommodate a u-lock.

ARTISTIC MERIT: obviously purpose needs to trump beauty, as noted above, but this is a great chance to think outside of the box. We’re looking for designs that are unique, memorable, imaginative, and innovative: essentially functional sculptures. You’ll be able to sign your piece if you’d like, so definitely tap into the artist that lives in us all!

*small print*

You will own your bike rack design sketch and concept in perpetuity. By participating in the contest, you agree to allow your unaltered sketch to be posted on social media and reproduced in news media sources. The winners of the design contest will be invited, but not expected, to consult (uncompensated) with the company chosen by the Wichita Entertainment Venue and Multi-Sport Stadium to fabricate the bike racks, House of Sharp, in order to assist in ensuring an accurate translation of your vision from conceptual sketch to functional bike rack. If you're a winner, you agree to allow your design to be fabricated only for this project: any other use, interpretation, or production of your concept will require your permission and adherence to your terms, as well as those of House of Sharp. The later situation does not fall within the scope of this project and would be the responsibility of both the designer and House of Sharp to negotiate, independent of any agreements or terms established for the Wichita Entertainment Venue and Multi-Sport Stadium.