The Bicycle Oriented Development (BOD): A New Tool in Urban Resilience

In the wake of the global financial crisis, the urban renewal of large brownfield tracts has been put on hold. Since many of these sites flank the same waterfronts and rail easements, that have given bicycle transit a foothold in car dominated cities, there is case for seeing them as bicycle oriented developments. Peak oil, congestion, awareness of preventative health, and emissions reductions goals are seeing cities set bike mode share targets as high as 50%. 8-House by BIG is the architectural offspring of planning focused mainly on cycling, permitting residents to ride home to 10 floor apartments, via a bike ramp. It provides us a glimpse of alternative urban solutions we might look forward to as cycling becomes a key mode of transport.