The bike rack outside of Mason Hall is a very interesting space to examine. This bike rack is directly outside of one of the most populated and academic buildings on campus, so there is always motion and change occurring. A bike rack is an intriguing space to examine, because it has many of the characteristics of architecture. The rack has a domain, form and function. The form of the bike rack is 4 large sets of metal loops. These 4 loops were also the intended domain of the bike rack. The actual domain spans across the entire area, because students lock their bikes to the lamppost and near by trees and they also park them laying flat on the ground. This new domain shows the high demand for the bike rack. The bike rack’s function is to serve as a place for students to park their bikes. It also serves as a unique landmark of Mason Hall. The character of the rack changes every day as different students park their bikes in different places. This rack serves fulfills the architectural definition of commodity, firmness and delight as it is useful and appealing.

From examining this bike rack, I discovered many hidden traits about the University of Michigan student body. The bike rack was always more than half full regardless of the day of the week or the time of day. This shows that Mason hall is more than a building for daytime classes, but also houses a variety of student organizations and events. I deliberately used short clips (of the rack) to show that students are running to and from classes, so they do not normally spend a lot of time in front of the bike rack. I also noticed that University of Michigan students are always riding their bikes regardless of the weather. I originally thought that on cold or rainy days that the bike rack would be empty. In fact, on a rainy morning the bike rack was one of the fullest I had ever seen it. This bike rack reveals the importance and demand for bikes on campus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djjd-ZRDN1Y&feature=youtu.be