Talking Head Designs Bike Rack

David Byrne, an avid cyclist in Manhattan, was asked to judge a bike rack design contest. Instead, he made his own designs, which have quickly gone up around the city.

1 minute read

August 13, 2008, 10:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur

"They were simple shapes to define different neighborhoods around the city: a dollar sign for Wall Street; an electric guitar for Williamsburg, Brooklyn; a car - "The Jersey" - for the area near the Lincoln Tunnel. "I said, ‘Well, this disqualifies me as a judge,' " he recalled, "but I just doodled them out and sent them in." He figured maybe they'd be used to decorate the contest Web site, nycityracks.wordpress.com.

Instead, much as when George W. Bush asked Dick Cheney to find him a vice president, Mr. Byrne ended up landing the job for which he was leading the search team. Well, almost: the competition for new standard racks is still on, but on Friday nine racks made from his own whimsical designs were installed around the city. 'They immediately responded, saying, 'If you can get these made, we'll put them through,'' he recalled. 'I was kind of shocked.'"

FULL STORY: David Byrne, Cultural Omnivore, Raises Cycling Rack to an Art Form

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 in The New York Times

Transportation New York Bike Racks

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.