Protecting

cyclists,

Beautifying

the city.

What are they?

Tulip Cycle Wands, whose form has been designed to resemble the flowers, are set to become a fixture on London’s streets. Designed to improve safety – for pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists – the wands are installed at regular intervals along the highway, segregating traffic and allowing for more efficient journeys for all.

But they are also designed to be attractive additions to the cityscape.

The brainchild of Luke Tozer and his team at Pitman Tozer Architects, the competition-winning, flexible cycle wands were inspired by the poppies art installation at the Tower of London and the sunflower fields glimpsed in the Tour de France. They are undergoing a trial in a street in Westminster, central London.

Now the plan is to roll out a programme of the features across the city – and perhaps to export the idea to other UK towns and cities, and even abroad. So: meet the Tulips.

A safer, more colourful city awaits.

What’s the problem?

City streets are dangerous and unfriendly to cyclists, especially those more vulnerable and less confident. Vehicles and cyclists should be able to move safely around the city without endangering each other. City streets should feel and be less dangerous. Our streets should be safe and welcoming for all to use. We want them feel as safe as cycling through the countryside surrounded by Tulips.

6% of all road deaths

Every year, more than 100 cyclists die on UK roads, which means that they make up around 6% of all road deaths. The fatality rate is disproportionately high – on average, 30 cyclists die for every billion miles travelled, compared with just two car drivers. The majority of bicycle accidents occur in urban settings, where traffic is high, and roads are busy.

75% of bicycle accidents occur in urban settings

Studies show that up to 75% of all bicycle accidents happen in such areas, with intersections being particularly hazardous. Enabling vehicles and cyclists to move around the city together, avoiding death and injury is key. There are other methods of separating road users such as bollards or Armadillos, but they are often ugly, less effective, and prone to breakage.

It’s time for

the Tulips.

How are they made?

Tulip Cycle Wands, whose form has been designed to resemble the flowers, are set to become a fixture on London’s streets. Designed to improve safety – for pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists – the wands are installed at regular intervals along the highway, segregating traffic and allowing for more efficient journeys for all. But they are also designed to be attractive additions to the cityscape.

The brainchild of Luke Tozer and his team at Pitman Tozer Architects, the competition-winning, flexible cycle wands were inspired by the poppies art installation at the Tower of London and the sunflower fields glimpsed in the Tour de France. They are undergoing thorough testing following installation in a street in Westminster, central London.

Now the plan is to roll out a programme of the features across the city – and perhaps to export the idea to other UK towns and cities, and even abroad. So: meet the Tulips.

FLOWER POWER

Where are they being installed?

A trial of Tulips is being installed on a street in Westminster, Central London

They will then be monitored before – it is hoped – they go into full production for use elsewhere.

The creators

Luke Tozer and his team of keen cyclists at architecture practice Pitman Tozer came up with the idea for the Tulip Cycling Wands having been inspired by artists Paul Cummins & Tom Piper’s ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’, their installation of a sea of almost a million ceramic poppies in 2014 around the Tower of London. They were also enthused by images of the fields of sunflowers that pro-cyclists on the Tour de France pass alongside.

So, the team decided to enter a ‘Caring for Cyclists’ competition run by the London Festival of Architecture and judged by luminaries including David Byrne of Talking Heads. Their ‘Blooming London’ idea was duly named joint winner.