Stilted: Flamingo Bicycle Parking Area by Jürgensen Klement

The Vreneslisgärtli cooperative housing society approached the architects with a request for them to design covered bicycle parking areas for a residential district. The five locations had previously been determined by the members of the society and are topographically quite diverse. Their positions in relation to the buildings and integration into the green exterior space surrounding the buildings vary as well.

Jürgensen Klement’s modular design takes up these challenges. The slender-limbed structure integrates into the vegetation without camouflaging itself. Indeed, the three shades of red, which are based on the colours of the surrounding architecture, stand out among the bushes, trees and façades.

Each covered rack consists of a steel construction with the smallest possible cross-sections. For each individual rack, two supports cross and join the roof surface. A special feature here is that these elements act both as a supporting structure and as parking for bicycles.

The sloping location gave added significance to the top view of the roofs. Each roof features a rhythmic, zigzag shape that accentuates the light appearance of the racks. This project demonstrates how a small intervention can have a striking effect on an existing, somewhat monotonous environment.