Rack Your Brains Competition

Last year, Dundee Cycling Forum teamed up with the Unesco City of Design team to launch the Rack Your Brains competition for young people. UNESCO local community groups with designers to help them create designs for the city-wide cycle rack competition, with P&G Blacksmiths building the winning designs.

I worked with pupils from Blackness Primary School to create designs for new cycle racks. The competition called for simple, bold shapes and colours for the bike racks, and the ideas had to be inspired by a location in Dundee. We explored the area around the school, and pupils took inspiration from the variety of local businesses in Dundee's West End.

Back in the classroom, the pupils spent a few weeks creating drawings of their bike racks using inspiration they gathered on walks around the local area. Then had a go at creating 3D models of their designs to give them a better idea of how their bike rack would work. Along with the drawing and photo of their design, each pupil sent a written statement explaining why their chosen location is such a great place to put bike parking and how their design tells a story about that location.

Kid's drawing of cupcake bike rack design

kid's strawberry bike rack design sketch

colourful bike rack design by school child

colourful bike rack model made by school child

ice cream bike rack designed by school children

ice cream bike rack model designed by school children

seat and bike rack designed by school children

alphabet bike rack designed by school children

In January, we got excellent news, that four pupils from the class had winning designs! Their designs will be transformed into real bike racks and placed around Dundee's West End for people to use.

Book bike rack design sketch by pupil at Blackness Primary School

Pineapple bike rack design sketch by pupil at Blackness Primary School

Pear bike rack design sketch by pupil at Blackness Primary School

Ice cream bike rack design sketch by pupil at Blackness Primary School

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit P&G Blacksmiths with the pupils. We had a tour of the workshop, saw how the bike racks are made and got a sneak-peek of the designs in their raw form. The bike racks are still to be finished but keep an eye out over the next few months and see if you can spot them.

Book Bike Rack Progress at P&G Blacksmiths Dundee

Dundee Cycle Forum Cycle Rack Competition - Image from Evening Telegraph

I think that it's important to share the joy and benefits of creativity, arts engagement can play a big part in facilitating social development and confidence-building, especially with young people. Projects like this one introduce children to creative thinking, give them an insight into how things are made and let them be part of the design process. The fact that their ideas have been transformed into something tangible that they can see and use is amazing. A considerable amount of thought went into all of the designs, the ideas were fantastic, and I can't wait to see the winning designs in situ.

If you're interested in chatting more about creative community projects, get in touch.