Honorable Mention

vtree

The safe and space-saving way to store and charge e-bikes. The green facade improves air quality.

Solution

vtree is a new, space-saving way to safely park and charge e-bikes in cities. The bicycles are no longer stored on the ground, but radially around a stem, which is at a height of 2.3 m and thus takes up almost no space at the ground. The bicycles are encased in a lamella structure, which is covered with mosses, which simultaneously filter carbon and fine dust from the air and improve the air quality in cities. vetree can also charge two e-cars, wich can be parked underneath.

Project Description

The project vtree arose due to the rapidly increasing sales of e-bikes, the increasing prices of these and the lack of charging or storage infrastructure. Bicycle parking facilities in cities are usually overcrowded due to lack of space and are also insufficiently protected against vandalism and weather. vtree solves these problems. In order to minimise the parking space, the bicycles are lifted up by an elevator and stored horizontally around a stem. A shell covered with moss protects the bicycles from vandalism and weather influences. Various types of moss are distributed on modular slats in a fan-like manner around the entire diameter. Thanks to the slats, the surface of the greenery can be increased up to 85 m2. Compared to an ordinary tree, vtree is able to extract 13 times as much carbon and 181 times more fine dust from the ambient air. The bicycle tree can easily be placed between two parking spaces and can also be used as a charging station for two electric cars.

Overview of the Solution

We designed a solution for the rising trend of e-mobility, more precisely, the trend towards expensive e-bikes and the charging and storing them. Furthermore, we designed a space-saving parking solution which simultaneously improves the air quality in cities.

vtree between two parking spaces does not take the space away from any road user. On the contrary, it will even keep min. 8 bicycles and additionally charge two e-cars.
In the sectional view of vtree you can see how 8 bicycles can be stored vertically around the stem axis and charged if necessary. These are encased by green moss slats.
vtree as a new interpretation of a park-situation. In addition to the safe and space-saving storage of bicycles, as well as air purification in dense city zones, vtree also creates a new type of meeting space on the ground which is won by it.
There is an entire product family behind vtree. The standard version can be seen on the left. In the middle, there is a bench around the stem axis. The tree on the right is also equipped with two chraging-spots for e-cars.
To reduce the e-scooter chaos in the big cities, there is the bush-shaped vtree variant on the left. In the middle the slightly higher variant for cargo bikes and on the right a multi-storey variant for very efficient bicycle storage in dense city zones, e.g. at train stations.

Here you can see how the interaction between the customer and vtree works. vtree has no external interface, the interaction begins with the associated app when you approach the tree.

PROJECT TEAM

Christoph Meyer, Elias Julian Kopp
and Lars Zinniker

INSTITUTION

University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst Institut Industrial Design), Switzerland

Category

Product/Service

FACULTY/COURSE ADVISOR

Werner Baumhakl

STAKEHOLDERS

allthisfuture AG, c/o Innovationspark Zentralschweiz, Suurstoffi 18b