The Life-Sized City Blog

Not to be outdone in the global race to build artifical islands, The City of Copenhagen has revealed plans to build an island in the shape of a national icon - the bicycle - off the coast of the island of Amager, south of Copenhagen. The Bicycle Island - Cykeløen - as seen from space. In an unveiling ceremony at the City Hall yesterday, Copenhagen and a consortium of environmental investors and architects from Denmark and Sweden launched the most comprehensive environmental project in Scandinavian history. 'Cykeløen', or The Bicycle Island, will create much needed real estate for an expanding population in the Danish capital and will become the first Danish landmark to be visible from space. The so-called COMA region, consisting of Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmö, Sweden is experiencing massive growth and The Bicycle Island will act as a symbol for the wealthy region. It's proximity to the Öresund Fixed Link bridge and tunnel that connects Copenhagen to Southern Sweden is

I love this. There is no need for a little ramp here. It requires no great effort to get your bike from backyard bike racks to the street. Nevertheless, some Copenhagener deemed it necessary and cosy to make one. They used time and effort for this little bit of niceness. Every little bit helps. UPDATE Regarding our previous post about IKEA's collaboration with Velorbis in loaning out bikes and trailers from their big box stores , here's a little update. The first IKEA in Copenhagen to loan out the bikes is in Gentofte, north of the city. Since the programme started, IKEA reps from Sweden, Germany and China have flown in to visit the Gentofte store and to see the Velorbis bikes and trailers in action. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, so here's hoping the idea spreads quicker than a Dane can dismount a bicycle. Read more at the website for the programme FREETRAILER.DK

The Slow Bicycle Movement I'm fascinated by the growing Slow Food movement which started in Italy in 1989 and I can certainly understand its popularity. "Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world." As with all good, timely ideas, the concept has really taken off. Inevitably, the concept of Slow has spawned other offshoots. - Slow Fish - Slow Company - Slow Design - Slow Retail - Slow Planet - Slow Cities [Cittaslow] - The World Institute of Slowness - Slow Travel To name but a few. So why not start a bicycle-friendly version of the movement? The Slow Bike Movement - no, make that the Slow BICYCLE movement - the very word 'bike' is a speeded up version of the original. The very cool Icel

Photo: Per Wadskjaer for IKEA IKEA of Denmark is now starting a new concept at their Danish stores. They did a bit of market research and found that roughly 25% of their customers rode their bikes to the stores or took public transport - even though most of then are located outside the cities in large commerical centres - some call them Big Box Districts - which are located outside the city centre. In Copenhagen we have two IKEAs. One is about 10 km from the city centre, the other is about 20 km. I, myself, have made the former trip several times on my 3-speed, carrying all manner of cumbersome goods home to the nest. It's great to learn that so many other IKEA customers ride their bikes out there, too. Doesn't surprise me, really, that so many Danes ride to such lengths for such purposes. But it is cool that IKEA respects the fact by launching a concept that celebrates the fact. And remember kids! Cyclists make better shoppers than motorists! Photo: Per Wadskjaer for IKEA IKE