This page shows some of the motivation, inspiration and design ideas used in the Field Station project, see the work in progress here.
Over the last few years, I have been loading my bike with increasingly heavy loads for field research style workshops sometimes in remote locations. More recently I have been mapping my local ‘research realm’ that I can access from my doorstep by bike, the sub-urban postindustrial outskirts of south manchester, interesting ecological sites, reclaimed rubbish tips, canals rivers and obscure ponds. These are often less picturesque in-between spaces that have been neglected by the local council, often prone to fly-tipping.
[Above some more remote areas to which I travelled to by bike with insanely heavy loads of equipment. Including Middle wood Trust and Alan Heads Art Centre. In 2022 I was resident at Gallery Oldham and mapped a local [walking and cycling] route between my home and the gallery avoiding roads. I thought a bike trailer would be a great option to increase my load capacity. The problem is that although it is possible to carry more stuff – it is not any easier to pull these loads. These two images show my fully loaded Cotic Escapade carrying roughly 30kg [See my notes on fitting a Revos Ebike conversion kit here].
FAb Lab in a trailer: Bart Bakker create a mobile Fab Lab using Ikea boxes with a few modifications to make a fold-out unit with legs. https://www.makery.info/en/2016/11/22/fabsladda-le-velo-lab-tout-en-un-de-bart-bakker/
Above – Rob’s Wonderful Jarman inspired Sheds. These timber slats and corrugated steel sheets look fantastic, but how can these translate into a light mobile trailer? I also Like the colour scheme – black [like the traditional bitumen paints used to protect wood] green and greys.
I’ve always been fascinated by weather stations, Something about these mysterious beehive-like boxes with the wooden slats and instruments sticking out of it particularly attracts me. I have always wanted to build one that was incorporated into a bike trailer. I am keen for one side of field station to incorporate a slatted section.
Work in progress
