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Urban Driver

In the spring of 2019, we undertook a project at Bergen School of Architecture that explored urban development in Bergen, with the Bergen City Bike system as our focus. As part of this study, we were given the opportunity to accompany one of the service vehicles responsible for the logistics of relocating bikes between stations and performing on-the-spot repairs. Our driver, Carol, a cycling enthusiast, guided us through the day-to-day operations. We also visited their warehouse, gaining behind-the-scenes insight into the daily challenges they face.

Carol introduced us to Grønn Sykkel, a bicycle shop specializing in repairing old bikes. There, we were invited to repurpose scrap metal from a container for use in the design phase of our project.

The result of this art project was a sculpture, both playful and symbolic, representing the intricate logistics behind the Bergen City Bike (Bergen Bysykkel) system. It embodies the idea of an optimally self-sustaining system, reliant only on the users, algorithms, and operating system. The reuse of old bicycle parts reflects a sustainable mindset, where bicycles are continually used by different people over many years. However, this machine is not entirely self-operating; it still requires someone to ride it.

The sculpture serves as a mechanical representation, scaled down to reflect the circuits of a much larger system.

David Reynolds & Ask Holmen

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