Design agency LOTS won bike sharing design

The design agency LOTS has won first price for a innovative bike share system for Copenhagen together with Koucky & Partners and Green Idea Factory.

They developed together an innovative bike share system for the city of Copenhagen. The team has been awarded a shared first price amongst 127 international entries in the design competition. The price ceremony took place in Copenhagen during the COP15 summit.

Read after the jump about how the concept works and how the designers thought when they developed the system.

Openbike is an open, “floating” bike sharing system that is adjustable to place the bikes where they’re needed.

Self adjusting system

The system puts the user in the centre and proposes a system that is easy to use, flexible and fully scalable. The design goal has been to create a system that seamlessly integrates with public transport and becomes a natural part of Copenhagen’s existing bicycle culture. Openbike proposes a smart card system and positioning solutions integrated in each bicycle to create a fully floating bike share system. OPENbike does therefore not need special stands and bicycles can easily be repositioned and adapted to the cities changing needs.

Cargo add-ons for large luggage or extra riders.

You find a bike through modern mobile phones and the internet locate bikes parked nearby.

Strategic design

I asked Iréne Stewart Claesson, the CEO of LOTS what part of the development of the concept the design agency took.

As Lots is specialized in strategic design we found this a perfect case for us as Copenhagen asked for a whole system solution, says Iréne. We made a team together with Koucky & Partners, environment consultants in sustainable city and traffic development and Green Idea Factory also working in sustainable solutions.
The concept became the base for the design of the bikes form and function that was drawn by Erik Nohlin. Both Erik and Michael Koucky are dedicated cyclists.

The solution grew from a dialogue with a common goal to create a system based on user need what is realistic and to profile Copenhagen as the bicycle capital of the world.

Copenhagen will now develop the winning entries and combine the best parts. One more winning etry.