Student’s design featured on bike racks across Richmond

By Sterling Giles

When thousands of spectators from around the world converge on Richmond this month for the 2015 UCI Road World Championships, they are likely to see the work of one very talented Virginia Commonwealth University student — John Sampson.

I had always been interested in creating something for the UCI and this contest presented itself as a great opportunity.

Sampson, a junior majoring in graphic design in the School of the Arts, submitted the winning bike rack design in last fall’s GoBike! Design contest, sponsored by i.e.*, a local creative initiative program. Thirty bike racks around the city will bear his design.

Wanting to highlight the nations that will assemble in the host city, Sampson created a design consisting of a wheel-like structure with 75 evenly spaced marks along the outer ring, representing the 75 nations participating in the race. It also features a combination of various spokes and structures that represent the city streets.

“The design serves to highlight the importance of diversity to Richmond,” Sampson said.

Local artists each customized a bike rack with Sampson’s design serving as the backdrop. In mid-June, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts showcased the racks, which have been installed around the city.

The array of colorful designs impressed Sampson, who has always wanted to leave an imprint on the community in some fashion.

“I had always been interested in creating something for the UCI and this contest presented itself as a great opportunity,” he said.

 

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