modus team enters architect as artist competition.

Oct 15, 2021

Members of the public are invited to vote for their favorite bike rack entry in this year's Architect as Artist Design/Build Competition coinciding with the AIA Arkansas state convention. The modus studio entry focuses on mobility as a powerful tool for access to employment and community resources. Bicycles in particular are an essential vehicle for vulnerable low-income and homeless populations working to get on their feet.


With this understanding, modus has teamed up with New Beginnings NWA to assist in their mission to serve under-resourced, vulnerable, and exploited communities in Northwest Arkansas. New Beginnings operates a bridge housing community in Fayetteville that supports people experiencing long-term homelessness or facing complex barriers to regaining housing.


The "bike porch" is a multifunctional outdoor fixture designed to act as bike parking, seating, and placemaking for residents of the New Beginnings low-barrier housing community. The simple form is crafted from a bent 5' x 5' steel plate, powder coated, and topped with black locust hardwood. The perforated fold lines in the steel incorporate a mantra of renewal and pride from a resident that reads "just for today" in morse code. With the goal of creating one for each cabin, each bike porch will be a unique color to bring identity to each user while adding vibrancy and connectivity to the new campus. Placement near the cabin entry creates a de facto front porch, expanding the inhabitable boundary into the surrounding space and encouraging neighborly engagement.


Vote for the Bike Porch here: https://www.aiaar.org/bike-for-the-future/