Spenard Bike Rack Design Competition

Cook Inlet Housing Authority (CIHA) and the Spenard Chamber of Commerce are seeking a high quality, artistic bike rack design for a creative placemaking project. The bike rack will be located at CIHA offices (3510 Spenard Road, Anchorage, AK 99503) and should thematically represent the history, culture and people of Spenard while functioning as an interactive art piece that adds value to the community.

The bike rack must accommodate at least 3 bikes, with designs encouraged to be scalable to accommodate 2 to 5 or more bikes. It must accommodate standard bike lock styles (U-locks, cables, chains) while allowing users to lock the frame and at least one wheel. The design must support a bicycle by at least two points of contact, prevent tipping, be non-abrasive to bike frames, and be permanently anchored to a paved surface with a base plate (ASTM A36 3/8" thick plate with three to four ¾ inch diameter holes). All components must be durable for long-term outdoor use with minimal maintenance and no operating costs. Artists may work individually or as part of a team and may submit one proposal only.

The chosen designer/design team will receive a $2,500 award. The winning design will be installed at the CIHA offices and may be replicated in other Spenard locations, though additional monetary awards will not be granted for replications. The selected artist(s) will be expected to collaborate during fabrication and installation. Submissions must include: an 8.5" x 11" design proposal on white background (hand-drawn or digital, to scale with dimensions), a proposal narrative explaining the design's appropriateness for Spenard and its functionality, current resume or bio with relevant work samples for all team members, and contact information. A design review committee will evaluate proposals based on functionality (up to 20 points), creativity (up to 20 points), and experience of designer/design team (up to 20 points). Submissions accepted through CaFE no later than August 12, 2016.