Project Overview

The Punkt. Urban Mobility project: a collaboration with three of Europe’s leading design schools: the RCA in London, Lausanne’s ECAL and Design Academy Eindhoven.

Organisation

Punkt.

Project Brief

The brief was to create a consumer electronics product that enhances personal mobility in the urban environment by making electric-assisted cycling easier and more accessible. The prototypes — each designed to enhance personal mobility in a way that complements the topography and culture of london, lausanne and eindhoven retrospectively.
Designed with the short distances and steep hills of lausanne in mind, the retro-fit motor harvests downhill breaking energy that is often wasted as heat, storing it ready to power the wheels whenever a bit of extra help is needed. the motor uses no electricity, and is solely re-powered by human effort using a technology similar to the KERS used in formula one.
In planning a bike for the city of eindhoven, the man and activity design department at design academy eindhoven created a ‘bike for two,’ since riding around in pairs is commonplace in the netherlands. the model endorses a smooth, bench-like seat, that means the bike can double up as street furniture whenever the robust side stand is deployed. described as ’conviviality à go-go,’ the ‘bike for two’ also packs a completely concealed motor and built in foot rests.
Wiith the busy city of london in mind, the design products masters students at the royal college of art have pitched the EB01. the model is designed as a sharable urban bike, let out by co-working spaces to help professionals get around the city. since removing your saddle is a necessary to prevent theft in the big smoke, RCA have incorporated a battery within the seat, meaning bringing it inside is a handy way to charge up the battery. the integral navigation system is also a must to help non-londoners find their way around.

Design Challenge

The design was required to be specific to where the three Schools are situated. And London, Lausanne and Eindhoven are three very different cities, in terms of both topography and culture.