Shimano, is pleased to announce its launch of a new visual project at Eurobike, called Future Cities.

Urban and leisure cycling has been part of modern city-life across the world for decades, yet only recently has widespread recognition of its ability to effect change been noticed. By enabling people to move about more efficiently, cycling’s contribution to our environment and people’s health and overall wellbeing is evident.

It will take a clear vision for people to recognise the impact that widespread uptake of urban cycling could have, like those initially captured in Future Cities. Shimano have begun re-imagining what our cities could look like through innovative computer-generated animations, and need your help. Cities which have cleaner air, less traffic and less noise pollution ultimately look nicer – and are more welcoming and fit for the future.

To kickstart the project, Shimano have chosen two prominent locations in Berlin and London; Karl-Marx-Allee in Berlin, and Marble Arch in London.

Karl-Marx-Allee, Berlin

Built between 1952 and 1960, Kar-Marx-Allee is currently a prominent shopping destination, at almost 90 metres wide and nearly 2 kilometres long. The road however is dominated by traffic, and therefore was selected by Shimano and Jan due to its size and potential for being re-imagined in a way that still retains its inherent Berlin nature, but dramatically changes its usage.

In a customized animation, Jan lifts the cars and traffic furniture away, while the location transitions into a cycling and walking utopia. Trees line the road, there are wide cycle paths with a range of bikes in use, people walking and birds flying.

A picture containing tree, outdoor, bicycle

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The futurized version of Berlin’s Karl-Marx-Allee (Credit: Jan Kamensky).
Marble Arch, London

In London, the iconic space around Marble Arch, next to Oxford Street, situated next at the corner of Hyde Park, is a notoriously busy area for traffic. Multiple lanes of traffic dominate the famous landmark.

Following the removal of the infamous “Mound,” this high profile tourist spot still feels ultimately transient and doesn’t cater to use by London’s citizens. Shimano shows us how this space could feel like, as an extension of Hyde Park, encouraging cycling mobility, wellbeing and enjoyment.

Kickstarting the Conversation
Recent research undertaken by the Boston Consulting Group showed that 13% of Europeans are willing to give up cars entirely, with sustainable living one of the key motivators for that decision. Research from the European Cycling Federation also found that Berlin saw an increase in cycling levels of 59% and London an increase of 119% as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In order to build on those increases and enable people to feel confident in reducing or ending their car usage, cities need to provide safe and viable alternative transport options.

Safe and continuous infrastructure, as found in the future vision for both locations, has been proven to increase levels of cycling – with people feeling safer and more confident to make journeys by bike. People have become used to cities, the most densely populated areas, being dominated by cars and car parking. With a mission to promote health and happiness through the enjoyment of the natural world – and of course – the bike, Shimano is well-placed to share their vision of how different our cities could be.

Seeking to start a conversation with urban mobility experts, residents, politicians, planners and other interested parties, Shimano hopes that these innovative visions will encourage people to be more ambitious and reconsider what is possible when it comes to changing our cities and making them fit for people.

Anna Schmalko-Methorst, Shimano’s Urban Category Marketing Manager said:

”We’re proud to be launching our Future Cities project, in line with our mission to promote health and happiness through the enjoyment of nature and the world around us.

”It’s clear that cities such as Berlin and London currently have too many streets and roads which are dominated by and designed around cars and not people. We wanted to work with Jan Kamensky to create bold and innovative visions of what our cities could look like.

”Starting with the Karl-Marx-Allee and Marble Arch, we have created an alternative vision of the future – one where our cities our healthier, safer, and ultimately more enjoyable places to live.”

Jan Kamensky said:

“Transformation also begins in the way we see our world. Utopia is helpful for this. It breaks with our habits of seeing. It is disruptive. It makes us look at the present with a new eye and it helps to inform our actions. Let’s begin to see our world in a new way!”