bicycle map
I created a conceptual map of Amsterdam that maps the areas in the city that have the highest concentrations of bicycles. I began my walk at what I call “bicycle central,” which is a four-floor parking garage for bicycles next to Centraal Station. Per square meter, this spot has the highest concentration of bicycles in the city. Then I walked away from Centraal Station. Whenever I came to an intersection I walked in the direction where there were the most bicycles, not counting the direction that I came from. If I made a circle and returned to a spot to which I had already been, I chose the direction with the second most bicycles so I wouldn’t walk in circles for the rest of my walk. My walk lasted three hours.
While I took my walk, I found that I ignored the pedestrians, cars, and buildings and only saw bicycles. The only thing that mattered was how many bicycles there were and where they were. Each time I got to an intersection I would turn around slowly and just look for bicycles. Once during my walk I got an eyelash in my eye, so I closed my eyes because it hurt. When I did, I saw bicycle wheels on the inside of my eyelids.
I made eight photo cubes on my walk. I wanted each cube to be distinct. If I just took one shot in each of the six directions at locations where there were a lot of bicycles, then all my cubes would look quite similar. So instead I focused on a different element of the bicycle for each cube I made. Five of my cubes focused each on one of these elements: pedals, seats, handlebars, spokes, and chains. Then, for my other three cubes I made one traditional cube, one that captured cyclists riding by, and a third that consisted solely of bicycles parked close together.
During my walk I saw thousands upon thousands of bicycles. I wonder how many of them are ridden on a regular basis and how many just sit there locked up. It fascinates me how many different types of people ride bicycles. I saw everyone from small children to elderly men and women riding bicycles. The bicycle-riding demographics seemed to transcend glass and gender lines. It seems that people from all social classes ride bicycles as a primary means of transportation. By walking towards the areas with the most bicycles, I created a map of the city that shows where people are most likely to travel to and from by bicycle.
Every student in the group made some sort of conceptual map. You can learn about everyone else’s projects here at our Roadtrip blog.