Beautiful engineering creates cycling heaven in The Netherlands
There’s no shortage of cycle-friendly stories coming out of Europe, and we love sharing them with you. This recent post from Treehugger should provide both inspiration and aspiration for other cities and urban planners that are working on cycling solutions. The Hovenring is the first elevated cycle roundabout in the world. Commissioned by the Dutch […]
Audi’s Intelligent Assist predicts parking availability
A recent story from Wired has showcased the latest in intelligent technology from Audi. By using “big data”, wireless connectivity and the car’s on-board navigation system, an Audi-developed phone app will not only find parking, but also uses “intelligence” to predict when other spots might open up! Branded as Audi’s Urban Intelligent Assist, the project […]
BMW adopts technology for the greater good
Last week’s report featured on The Green Car Website reminds us of the Christmas classic, Miracle on 34th Street. You will remember the part when Kris Kringle, employed at Macy’s, starts sending customers to Bloomingdales when they can’t find what they are looking for? Some might say it is the cleverest marketing strategy around. So, […]
Exquisite beauty of the humble traffic light
We couldn’t resist sharing this post from My Modern Met which recently featured the work of German photographer, Lucas Zimmerman. Using long exposures on a foggy night in Weimar, Zimmerman has managed to turn the humble traffic light into an ethereal masterpiece. Beauty is an experience, nothing else. It is not a fixed pattern or […]
Invisible bike helmet on show
Last month, the Sydney Morning Herald brought us news of the “invisible” bike helmet. Well, it’s not really invisible — it just isn’t worn where you normally think a helmet would be worn! You may struggle to find it in the photo, because it is cleverly disguised as fashionable neckwear. The project started out as […]
Brisbane’s UBAT project addresses congestion issues
As reported by the ABC news, the Queensland government recently announced a 5.4 km tunnel project in Brisbane, designed to ease the city’s congestion problems at a cost of $5 billion. Dubbed the UBAT (Underground Bus and Train), the double-decker tunnel will accommodate buses on the upper level and trains below. The combined project replaces […]
Electric scooter with boot space
For the latest in electric transport options, Treehugger recently featured this prototype scooter, the Kubo. After you figure out which end is up, you will see that the space underneath is designed to give you ample carrying capacity for your groceries, shopping, briefcase or other precious cargo (not children, however!). The scooter has a weight […]
Game theory used to create Smart traffic lights
University of Toronto civil engineering graduate, Samah El-Tantawy, has used game theory to create “intelligent” traffic lights and is now receiving global recognition for her work. The system uses artificial intelligence allowing the signals to “talk” to one another, and make real-time decisions in order to keep traffic flowing. In a Uni of Toronto media […]
Architecture accolades for Perth Arena
Perth Arena has added another accolade to its growing list of prestigious awards. As reported in ArchitectureAU, the designers ARM Architecture and Cameron Chisholm Nicol were recently recognised with the top national architecture award, the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture. The award jury described the structure as a ‘radical, abstract, graphic alien that […]
Contemporary car park turning heads
Thank goodness for the creative types who are turning the traditional vision of a car park on its ear! Reported this week in Designboom, Vienna based architects, PPAG, (in collaboration with Milan Mijalkovic) have recently completed this 3D patterned multi-storey car park in Skopje, Macedonia. The project began when architect, Anna Popelka, created a collage […]
Pedal power cleverly promoted
We came across this great infographic recently, which we have already shared via our newsletter. Created in the US, this visually appealing work entitled “Pedal Power” gives some interesting statistics on the growth of cycling, as well as some of the many benefits to our health, our economy, and of course, our planet…Enjoy! Source: http://onlinemastersinpublichealth.com/
Don’t blame the parking space!
If you think it seems more difficult to park these days, you’re not wrong. We’ve seen statistics that say 1 in 5 accidents happen in a car park, but have you ever wondered why? A contributing factor would definitely have to be that the average size of vehicles has increased steadily over the past 20 […]
The Hyperloop transportation project open for collaboration
Plans have now been unveiled. As promised in last month’s blog, Elon Musk, head of Telsa Motors and Space X, has now released a document outlining the details of his vision for a new form of transportation, the Hyperloop. The 57-page document reveals Musk’s plans for transporting passengers in a low-pressure tube along blankets of […]
Car park transformed into trendy bookshop
The Librarie Avant-Garde in Nanjing has recently been voted China’s most beautiful book shop, which is rather surprising given its humble origins. It is located in a disused government car park beneath a stadium, formerly a bomb shelter. “There is an old saying in Chinese — turn something rotten into a miracle“, says the owner, […]
Cool Car Park no longer an oxymoron
The adjectives and imagery most often associated with the words “car park” would undoubtedly be summarised as “dull”. Well, be prepared to challenge your preconceived ideas and marvel at the shortlist of the World’s 10 Coolest Car Parks. Yes, they do exist! The contest, run by FX Magazine and Stress Free Airport Parking, recently announced […]
Parking Meters – where did all the coins go?
$210,000 US = 840,000 coins = 21,000 rolls = 10,500 lbs = 4,800 kgs If councils around the globe need any more evidence to support the upgrade to meters accepting non cash payments (credit card, phone, prepaid cards), this story might be it. An employee of the city of Buffalo, NY has been arrested and […]
Putting the “Park” back in Parking
Mark your diaries – World Park(ing) Day will be celebrated around the globe on Friday, September 20th. This annual, worldwide “open-source” event gives people the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and have some fun while “greening” our cities for the day. The concept is credited to the Rebar Group, a San Francisco design studio who […]
Bi(re)cycling
Love your old bike but can’t seem to part with it? Another gem from Treehugger brings us an innovative way to keep your trusty companion with you forever. Austrian designer, Andreas Scheiger has created a recycled product that is sure to be a hit with the cycling community, who may be looking for ways to […]
Car parks – the perfect solar opportunity
It’s a match made in heaven — car parks and the sun above. Why wouldn’t one take advantage of a free supply of energy will that could conceivably make a multi-story structure carbon-neutral? The beachside haven of Coffs Harbour has taken another step towards its goal of becoming a “solar city”. Councilmembers voted unanimously to […]
The Hyperloop – a new era of transport
Following on from last weeks’ Wayfinding Blog which offered a glimpse of the future of transport, we bring you one step closer to that reality with the upcoming unveiling of The Hyperloop. Brainchild of Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX and Tesla Motors, Musk announced this month that “alpha” plans for the revolutionary transportation […]
The impact of driverless cars on our cities
As we posted in last week’s Wayfinding Forum, auto companies are now striving beyond the development of self-parking cars. They are building self-DRIVING cars. Whilst the technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, public acceptance and understanding is still in its infancy. This week, an interesting perspective was offered by The New York Times. The […]
Remember the Jetsons?
We complain about traffic snarls. We complain about transport links. We complain about airport processing queues. Well, it seems the creators of the imagined “Horizon System” had all this in mind when they submitted their winning entry to the Glasgow School of Art creative competition, offering a vision of the future of aviation. Watch their […]
Driving and parking – where have the people gone?
We’re told there would be fewer accidents and traffic snarls, and time spent looking for parking could be spent doing…..well, anything else. Thanks to Volvo, the fully automated, driverless car is now closer than ever. But are we ready for it? Volvo will become the first car manufacturer in the world to release a self-parking […]
Parking technology – the alternative option?
We often comment on Wayfinding Forum about the development of technology in our industry and how it is apparently streamlining the way we live. The previous article is a case in point. Subscribers may also recall articles we have written on fully automated parking garages, folding cars, underground bike parking and car park guidance systems […]
Driverless trains are headed for Sydney
The NSW budget handed down last week delivered significantly on transport, with over $6 billion pledged towards infrastructure projects. Along with the light rail project previously mentioned on Wayfinding Forum, heavy rail was the big winner with funding confirmed along the north-west corridor of Sydney. The NSW Government describes The North West Rail Link as […]
Japan’s underground bike parking solution
Tokyo is a metropolis of over 13 million people, all trying to get around by the best means possible. Overwhelming congestion means that car travel is sluggish and we’ve all seen images of “train pushers” (or oshiya) cramming passengers onto Japan’s subway system. As a result, cycling is trending as a preference for many commuters. […]
Commercial parking minimums in Latin America
Still in Colombia, take a look at this commentary from Reinventing Parking on a new parking policy guide that was launched last week in Bogotá. From the data provided, it is evident that there is a distinct split across South American countries in parking space provisions for new commercial buildings. The graph shows Mexico, Brazil […]
Bike sharing program launched in NYC
New York City’s bike-sharing program was officially launched last week, sending 6,000 bright blue “Citi Bikes” onto the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The system will feature 24/7 access to terminals at hundreds of subway stations around New York. Each terminal is equipped with a touchscreen kiosk, a map of the service area and a […]
Synchronization gets the green light in LA
Los Angeles has long been a symbol of America’s traffic congestion with its polluted stretches of multi-lane freeways turning into car parks during rush hour, aggravating its users. However, if city planners are correct, this is about to change — with LA turning from eternal gridlock into a best practice model for traffic control. This […]
George Street makeover a step closer
Both the State Government and the City of Sydney agree that light rail from Circular Quay to the city’s east along George Street will be a great thing for Sydney. The vision is for an integrated transport network able to move large groups of commuters quickly and effectively around the CBD and out to major […]