DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
BD : The main idea is to equip cities with cycling infrastructure that encourages the use of non-motorized transport. Inspiration is born from experience. The result of our accumulated experience is a slender piece of pleasant proportions whose somber complexity is so precise it achieves simplicity and translates into a beautiful object.
DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
BD : Our focus was to develop a timeless product with aesthetics that endure beyond its useful life. Our idea in creating this piece was to encourage bicycle use, create order in public spaces, and for its soft rubber surface to be a tactile experience for cyclists.
DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
BD : Our focus was to develop a timeless product with aesthetics that endure beyond its useful life. Our idea in creating this piece was to encourage bicycle use, create order in public spaces, and for its soft rubber surface to be a tactile experience for cyclists.
DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
BD : From February to November 2017.
DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
BD : It is the result of an analysis we undertook into the current lack of bicycle infrastructure that inspires confidence to leave your bike, and our desire to contribute to a more effective and beautiful city.
DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
BD : Yes, we plan to sell it in Europe and the United States of America through a European company.
DI: What made you design this particular type of work?
BD : Our desire to improve cities.
DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
BD : Our work is not only influenced by designers, but also people with different knowledge bases who contribute positive ideas towards improving our society.
DI: Who is the target customer for his design?
BD : Our main clients are builders, architects, planners, governments, landscapers and urban planners; however our end users are citizens.
DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
BD : This design is distinct because of its rational use of materials (aluminum for resistance, rubber for protection), its simple, beautiful, and somber expression as well as its clean anchoring system. All this gives the CP-009 its distinctive character.
DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
BD : BKT urban furniture names all its products using a code based on the product type and a consecutive number.
DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?
BD : User-based design methodology, sketching, 3D modeling software, laser cutting for carboard modeling.
DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
BD : The combination of materials, their way of integrating with each other, and their compact shape is ideal for any public space.
DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
BD : We work with experts from the aluminum casting and vulcanizing industry who have many years of experience.
DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?
BD : We created a metal mold using CNC vulcanizing technology and a CNC to machine the aluminum model for casting.
DI: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?
BD : Our CP-009 design was based on 10 years of experience of accumulated learning from observing, analyzing, and understanding the role of cycling infrastructure.
DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?
BD : Our biggest challenge was unifying rubber materials with aluminum while maintaining the same aesthetic figure.
DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?
BD : As we were designing this product, we realized that it had the qualities to compete in prestigious international competitions.
DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?
BD : When developing any product we are always obliged to investigate, observe and project. These processes introduce us to new areas of knowledge, bring us closer to people who share their experience, and awaken our curiosity to analyze the environment and contribute ideas on how to improve it.