Verhofsté

Horta, an innovative bicycle locker

Our mission

Analysis: Human factors, technology & components
Conceptual design; exploratory sketches, design language & styling
Detailed product design; engineering & prototyping

The project

Verhofsté presents Horta, an innovative bicycle locker that redefines bicycle storage standards. Compact, secure and smart, Horta offers an efficient solution for bicycle parking in urban environments.

With its modular design, up to 7 lockers can be placed in a car park of just 2.5 x 5 meters, thanks to a clever high/low arrangement system. This makes Horta ideal for locations where space is at a premium. The convenient lift and roll out system makes it easy to store bikes, while sustainable materials and a circular design ensure a future-proof solution.

Analysis & Concept

We started with an extensive benchmark & competitor analysis of very different bicycle parking systems & bicycle lockers. We also mapped the playing field of the different types of bicycles with their nominal sizes in order to come to the OPG (outline performance grid) within which we had to elaborate the solution of Verhofsté in order to have the largest possible reach in the market.

This revealed that existing systems often contain “clumsiness” in the solution. A clumsiness that sometimes makes it very difficult for consumers to use. Especially when it comes to entering and exiting the lockers. In addition, it also quickly became clear that the available public space for individual bicycle parking is limited, so we had to look for an optimal configuration.

The focus here was mainly on increasing the ease of use in parking (entry & exit) the often heavy electric bikes. We very quickly built the 3 most promising concepts in breadboard/ rough prototypes to verify the ease of use.

Horta is our answer to the growing demand for advanced bicycle parking. Unlike traditional bike lockers, which are often limited in design and functionality, Horta meets the demands of modern cities and cyclists by optimizing space and providing extra comfort.

For example, entering and exiting the bicycle has been made extra user-friendly thanks to the patented wheel catcher system. This solution ensures that the wheel catcher automatically presents itself at the front of the bicycle locker. The bicycle can immediately be stably entered without the user having to crawl into the locker. This also makes getting out of the locker even easier.

In addition, each locker is also equipped with a 220V charging point for electric bicycles, integrated lighting and a suspension point for the bicycle helmet.

Verhofsté presents Horta, an innovative bicycle locker that redefines bicycle storage standards.

This innovative bicycle locker is not only smart, compact and secure, but also blends aesthetically with its surroundings. Horta’s modular design allows multiple lockers to be placed in a small space, thanks to a thoughtful high/low arrangement system for maximum efficiency.

Our commitment to a more sustainable future is highlighted by the use of sustainable materials and circular design. By integrating management software, we offer a comprehensive solution that meets the needs of today’s cities and cyclists.

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