2008 Saint Paul Prize Competition Awards Designs for a Modular Bicycle Shed in an Effort to Encourage Bicycle Use

The St. Paul Chapter of the American Institute of Architects awarded two first place prizes on December 11, 2008, to its annual St. Paul Prize design competition. This design competition is open to AIA Minnesota Associate members with less than seven years of post-graduation experience.

This year’s competition program included the design of a Modular Bicycle Shed Prototype for Public Transportation Stops with the ability to be located at two varied MetroTransit Park and Ride locations in Ramsey County. The function of the Bicycle Shed is to provide secure and protected storage of bicycles for bus riders. While suburban areas are provided with commuter buses services to the central business districts of Minneapolis and St. Paul, these suburban areas are not serviced by extensive local bus coverage. This results in many potential bus-riding commuters driving their cars for distances easily covered by bicycle in an equal amount of time. The desire is to provide secure and protected bicycle storage at park and ride locations to encourage bicycle usage.

First place: Jim Lindborg, Assoc. AIA and Elisa Keck, Assoc. AIA, both of Tanek Inc.
Second place: Chris Palkowitsch, Assoc. AIA, and Ryan Shortridge, both of BKV Group
Third place: Isaac Bros of Community Design group and James Moody
Honorable Mention: Sung Gwon (Alex) Kang, Assoc. AIA, of PDI World Group

A total of ten boards were received and judging took place on December 4 at the offices of SmithGroup. The jury included architects Peter Vesterholt, AIA, Stephen Berg, Assoc. AIA, Duane Kell, FAIA and Eric Lagerquist, AIA; Jon Stone and Brian Mullins, industrial designers from Logic, a local industrial and product design firm; Luke Breen, owner of Calhoun Cycle and cycling advocate, and Chris Steele long time cycling commuter and bus driver.
The winning entry was featured in Velo Vision, a British cycling magazine.