Our Name

Our firm has a distinctive name. But what exactly is a velocipede?

According to Wikipedia,

The velocipede was the predecessor to the bicycle, a human powered vehicle introduced in the Victorian Age. . . . Invented in 1863 in France by Pierre Lallement, the two-wheeled velocipede was sometimes called the boneshaker. The Michaux Company was the first to mass-produce the velocipede, from 1867 to 1870.

Other people deserving some credit for inventing the bicycle include:

  • 1818, Baron Karl von Drais (German): wood frame, two wood wheels with steering, iron bands for tires, riders would sit astride the frame and push with their feet on the ground

  • 1839, Kirkpatrick MacMillan (Scottish): added cranks pushed by hand to drive the rear wheel

  • 1863, Pierre Lallement (French): changed frame to steel and put pedals on front wheel

  • 1885, John Kemp Starley (English): added chain drive to rear wheel

  • 1888, John Boyd Dunlop (Scottish): changed tires to pneumatic

So, what does a "velocipede" have to do with a sustainable architecture firm?

Bicycles embody the principles of sustainability, that buildings would do well to emulate:

  • Efficient use of materials

  • Durable

  • Recyclable (the metal portions)

  • Designed for disassembly

  • Zero pollution

  • 100% renewable energy (human muscles fueled by food)

  • Carbon neutral (their fuel is grown in the year it is consumed)

Fine bicycles are exquisite works of craftsmanship and modern design.

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