Swedish architects We Are You received third prize for an international competition for the new Bicycling Center in Philadelphia.
More images and architect’s description after the break.
The Breakaway is a new bike center in the city of Philadelphia. It’s mission is to promote bicycling in all its forms, and become a social hotspot for bike commutors, messengers, biking tourists and racers. The façade, that is a vertical bike parking, tells the story of the building. The bikes are properly displayed to mark the site in the city and encurage more people to use the iron horse as a means of daily transportation.
The entrance floor holds a public bicycle repair space where you can fix your bike, hang out with your friends and take a bike-building course. There is also a store where you can rent bikes, buy a new commuter friend or just top up the old buddy with some shiny parts. Here you will also find “Le Ravitaillement”, a cafe/urban feedstation where you can pick up sandwitches, water bottles and croissants on your way to work. The other floors holds showers/changing facilities for bike commutors and an office for the local bike advocacy group.
