BEND: BIKE RACK

BEND forms a conceptual and material link between the city’s disparate bicycle and subway infrastructures by harvesting material for NYC’s next generation of CityRacks from decommissioned subway cars. The New York City subway is one of our city’s most familiar cultural symbols, and ORE’s strategy of up-cycling celebrates an everyday element of this infrastructure – the subway handrail – thereby establishing a new and iconic urban form: BEND.

In creating the BEND, stainless steel tubes from the decommissioned subway cars’ handrails and sear supports are harvested, bent into component shapes, reinforced with a fine aggregate concrete core, and welded into a continuous form. BEND’s two-tiered design allows for maximum bike storage with a minimal footprint to keep crowded sidewalks free from obstruction. Additionally, this design takes advantage of a reclaimed material that is locally sourced, reducing industrial waste and the environmental impact of shipping.