Resembling blades of grass reaching up from the ground, Blade was conceived and produced by multi-disciplined agency North Ltd and local Capetonian designer Rotem Shachar. They set out to develop a unique bike rack that complimented the natural beauty of Cape Town whilst adding to the urban landscape.
Cast in concrete with 16 stainless steel cables coated in green polyurethane and fitted with a flexible nib, Blade is engineered to respond to the demands of the exposed marine environment of the promenade and caters for bikes of all types and sizes. To use it, cyclists simply secure the frame of their bikes to one of the blades with a lock.
The prototype of the Blade bicycle parking system has been introduced to the public and will be monitored to establish whether improvements are needed. This will inform the roll out of more systems in convenient locations along the promenade’s 11km length.
Jacques van Embden, managing director of Blok says: “Setting up Blade on the Sea Point Promenade forms part of our ongoing strategy of investing back into the communities in which we develop through urban intervention projects. We are particularly passionate about this project as we are strong supporters of eco-mobility and want to contribute to making environmentally friendly city exploration that much easier.”
North Ltd creative director Mike Bond adds: “The City of Cape Town encourages bicycle use as a viable mode of transport. Bicycle parking is a key component of creating a successful city-wide bicycle system. The Blade bike rack, with its groundbreaking design, will not only provide a functional parking facility but also generate talk-ability - inspiring further bicycle use.”
"We are passionate about public spaces and non-motorised transport and how this shapes the future of our cities. The Sea Point Promenade is arguably the most exciting, inclusive and diverse spaces in the city and the addition of the Blade bicycle parking will further cement this. It is our hope that this important public-private-people collaboration contributes to the City of Cape Town's Draft Cycling Strategy which includes the goal of having 8% of Capetonians cycling by 2030,” concludes Rashiq Fataar, founder and director of Future Cape Town.
