DERBY CITY WHEELS

Derby City Wheels was my third year Fall studio project. It is a MotoGP motorcycle/racing museum, as well as a coffee shop.

MotoGP is all about speed and precision, as well as danger and risk. My design focused on balance, components, and tension. The museum portion of this projected consisted of 4 leaning, reinforced concrete slabs that were held in place by tension cables. In the same sense that a biker is on a bike, this museum was leaning on the coffee shop; something active placing its weight on something stagnant. The museum is meant to make its visitors uncomfortable with its lack of heavy structure and consistent manipulation of ceiling height and angle. The rooftop patio above the coffee shop labeled as “Race Room” is a space designed for MotoGP race viewing. The 12 different segments represent the 12 different teams of MotoGP. Not only would the museum pay homage to the history of the sport, but it would be a place to bring light to what the sport is and what it can be.