flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Bicycle kitchens give cyclists their very own amenity space

Multifamily Housing

Bicycle kitchens give cyclists their very own amenity space

Bike storage and workshop spaces are rapidly turning into full-service social amenity spaces in multifamily projects.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | August 2, 2018
a bicycle kitchen with an easily accessible wash station, work table, and workbench

A multifamily project designed by Denver architectural firm Kephart features a bicycle kitchen with an easily accessible wash station, work table, and workbench with tools for repairs and maintenance.

Bicycling has become a preferred means of environmentally friendly, fun, and healthy transportation for millions of America’s apartment, condo, and townhouse dwellers.

From 2008 to 2017, bicycle ridership in the U.S. grew 40%, from 47 million to 66 million, according to Statistica.com. Couple the dramatic increase in cyclists with the fact that U.S. households are renting at higher rates than at any time in the past 50 years, and multifamily developers and their project teams are left with no choice but to include bicycle storage and maintenance high on their list of amenities.

In fact, this publication’s exclusive Multifamily Amenities 2017 survey found that two-thirds of respondents (66.5%) had included “secure bicycle storage” in recent projects.

“Every project we design has bike storage of some type, whether it is standard racks on the street, individual private lockers, or hundreds of bikes stored in a stacker configuration in the parking garage,” said Nathan Sciarra, AIA, Associate Principal, KTGY Architecture + Planning, Denver.

Bicycle amenity spaces can be divided into three distinct types: storage only (bike parking, storage racks); bike storage with workshop space (pumps, basic tools, wash area); and the latest variant, bicycle kitchens (more intensive workshop areas combined with an added social element).

 

A metal ramp in a Boulder View (Colo.) community designed by KTGYA metal ramp in a Boulder View (Colo.) community designed by KTGY Architecture + Planning runs along the edge of the stairs for easier shifting of bikes between floors. KTGY Architecture + Planning.

 

A bicycle kitchen is a luxury amenity that is very appealing to a growing group of multifamily dwellers. “I would describe them as bicycle clubhouses, where like-minded residents mingle, collaborate, share stories and adventures, and create connections,” said Bobby Long, Principal, Kephart. Considerable thought needs to go into the aesthetics and comfort of bicycle kitchens.

According to the design experts we consulted, there are certain features no bicycle kitchen should be without: large-screen TVs with cable service, WiFi, comfortable furniture that encourages gathering and relaxation, good lighting, and bicycle-themed artwork that brands the space. (One even has a sculpture made from bicycle parts.) No self-respecting cyclist wants to hang out in a poorly lit, uninviting, eldritch space reminiscent of the local auto shop.

 

See Also: Multifamily market trends 2018: Demographic shifts reshape the residential landscape

 

Storage and workshop aspects cannot be ignored. Space for tools and repair equipment, storage racks with ample clearance for loading and unloading onto cars, accessory storage for helmets and bags, and an area for washing bikes must be accounted for.

Creating the perfect bicycle kitchen is all about finding the ideal balance between a workshop and a social space, said Jimmy Sinis, Senior Design Manager and Senior Associate, Stantec.

“Spaces like this foster a sense of community among residents,” said KTGY’s Sciarra. “To be considered a full bicycle kitchen, the design must incorporate comfortable seating, entertainment opportunities, and more. Then it’s more a kitchen than a repair space.”

Not every multifamily project needs a full bicycle kitchen, but bicycle storage of some kind has become a necessity for most new apartment and condo enterprises.

 

Vertical racks at Brooklyn’s Caesura mixed-use building Using racks that stack bikes vertically saves space and enables more residents of Brooklyn’s Caesura mixed-use building, designed by Dattner Architects, to securely store their bicycles. Dattner Architects.

 

RATIOS, RATIOS, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE RATIOS

Then there are those pesky zoning requirements and resident-to-space ratios to consider. Having too little—or even too much—room can impair the functionality of bicycle storage areas.

In some jurisdictions, local zoning law dictates the required ratio of bike storage spaces to apartment units. Washington, D.C., requires one bike parking space for every three residential units (the same as LEED). Some designers feel that’s not enough bike storage space to meet residents’ expectations.

According to Sciarra, the ideal ratio depends a lot on where the project is located. In urban areas with easy access to stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues, one bicycle space for every two units should work. (According to Ira Mitchneck, AIA, Senior Associate, New York–based Dattner Architects has found this ratio to work just fine in its projects, which are primarily in dense urban areas.) In suburban locations where more residents probably have a car, the ratio can be lowered to one storage space for every four or five units, said Sciarra.

Determining the best ratio of bike storage spaces to automobile parking spaces is more complicated. Miami’s zoning code, known as Miami 21, is a form-based system that relies on New Urbanism and Smart Buildings principles. It requires one bike storage space for every 20 parking spaces. Other jurisdictions allow for fewer vehicle parking spaces as the number of bike storage spaces increases.

“We don’t believe the correlation is that simple,” Sciarra said. “In our experience, the number of parking spaces and bike storage is driven more by location and the bike culture of that location.”

Kephart’s Long agrees. “I don’t think we’re looking at any specific ratios,” he said. “Each project is so specific, based on adjacency to bike lanes and paths and the specific bike culture.” Meaning whether—and how much—residents use their bikes for commuting, shopping, recreation, and physical training. “It’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all approach,” said Long.

Related Stories

| Jan 27, 2011

Perkins Eastman's report on senior housing signals a changing market

Top international design and architecture firm Perkins Eastman is pleased to announce that the Perkins Eastman Research Collaborative recently completed the “Design for Aging Review 10 Insights and Innovations: The State of Senior Housing” study for the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The results of the comprehensive study reflect the changing demands and emerging concepts that are re-shaping today’s senior living industry.

| Jan 21, 2011

Harlem facility combines social services with retail, office space

Harlem is one of the first neighborhoods in New York City to combine retail with assisted living. The six-story, 50,000-sf building provides assisted living for residents with disabilities and a nonprofit group offering services to minority groups, plus retail and office space.

| Jan 21, 2011

Nothing dinky about these residences for Golden Gophers

The Sydney Hall Student Apartments combines 125 student residences with 15,000 sf of retail space in the University of Minnesota’s historic Dinkytown neighborhood, in Minneapolis.

| Jan 21, 2011

Revamped hotel-turned-condominium building holds on to historic style

The historic 89,000-sf Hotel Stowell in Los Angeles was reincarnated as the El Dorado, a 65-unit loft condominium building with retail and restaurant space. Rockefeller Partners Architects, El Segundo, Calif., aimed to preserve the building’s Gothic-Art Nouveau combination style while updating it for modern living.

| Jan 21, 2011

Upscale apartments offer residents a twist on modern history

The Goodwynn at Town: Brookhaven, a 433,300-sf residential and retail building in DeKalb County, Ga., combines a historic look with modern amenities. Atlanta-based project architect Niles Bolton Associates used contemporary materials in historic patterns and colors on the exterior, while concealing a six-level parking structure on the interior.

| Jan 20, 2011

Worship center design offers warm and welcoming atmosphere

The Worship Place Studio of local firm Ziegler Cooper Architects designed a new 46,000-sf church complex for the Pare de Sufrir parish in Houston.

| Jan 19, 2011

Baltimore mixed-use development combines working, living, and shopping

The Shoppes at McHenry Row, a $117 million mixed-use complex developed by 28 Walker Associates for downtown Baltimore, will include 65,000 sf of office space, 250 apartments, and two parking garages. The 48,000 sf of main street retail space currently is 65% occupied, with space for small shops and a restaurant remaining.

| Jan 7, 2011

Mixed-Use on Steroids

Mixed-use development has been one of the few bright spots in real estate in the last few years. Successful mixed-use projects are almost always located in dense urban or suburban areas, usually close to public transportation. It’s a sign of the times that the residential component tends to be rental rather than for-sale.

| Jan 4, 2011

An official bargain, White House loses $79 million in property value

One of the most famous office buildings in the world—and the official the residence of the President of the United States—is now worth only $251.6 million. At the top of the housing boom, the 132-room complex was valued at $331.5 million (still sounds like a bargain), according to Zillow, the online real estate marketplace. That reflects a decline in property value of about 24%.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021