UQ promotes pedal power

UQ’s bike racks are soon-to-become the most sought after parking spots on campus, thanks to a design competition run through UQ’s Property and Facilities Division (P&F) recently.

The competition was open to all UQ students, with key selection criteria being creativity, functionality, originality and sustainability.

“It was also an opportunity to harness some of our students’ great design talents while improving the overall look of the campus,” Director of P&F Alan Egan said

“This approach was not only cost effective, but also enabled the students to have a say in how their campus looks.”

P&F were looking for three innovative and durable bike rack design solutions which were unique to UQ, would complement the surrounding environment and could be installed on any UQ campus.

Entrants were encouraged to be as creative as possible while recognising the need for security, safety, ease of installation and maintenance, and efficient use of space.

More than 50 entries were received which were shortlisted to the top six.

The finalists were provided with funding to create a more detailed submission, including scale drawings, perspectives, material information and structural considerations.

From these finalists, the top three designs were chosen with each designer winning a $2000 cash prize.

One of the finalists was Jonathan Wei from South Africa, who is studying mechanical and aerospace engineering at UQ.

Mr Wei said that his aesthetically pleasing design, although simple to manufacture, would serve as a piece of art when not in use and blend in well with UQ's campus environment.

“My design is based on the Fibonacci spiral, which is well-known for its aesthetics in architectural designs,” he said.

The other two finalists in the competition were Arthur Wong and Natasha Behrendorff and all three designs are available for viewing on the P&F website.

P&F engineering staff are developing prototypes and hope to have the finished products installed during semester one, 2011.

For further information about the P&F division and its functions, visit its website.

Media: Janardan Kewin at UQ Communications (07 3365 2619, j.kewin@uq.edu.au)