Our-brellas
Our-brellas are municipal umbrellas provided for public use.
They can be found stacked on any lamp post throughout the city, from where they can be picked up or dropped off. They are specifically designed as an alternative to the cheap, throw away umbrellas which are bought as emergency when it starts raining.
The umbrellas are purpose designed to deal with all the issues which arise from communal ownership such as vandalism and theft. They are cheaply made from a single piece of recyclable moulded plastic with a single two piece mould and can be easily recycled.
Unlike normal umbrellas, they have no moving parts and do not fold. This makes them too large to take indoors or into vehicles, preventing them being easily stolen or taken further than walking distance from where they were picked up.
The umbrellas are designed to have a strong visual impact and act as a landmark to the places at which they are used. When they are not in use they hang elegantly from lamp posts much like flower pots or decorative banners.
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Comments
I love this concept. Unlike other failed communal designs like the "yellow bikes" of Portland Oregon, these umbrellas are much less valuable if stolen, since they can't fold up. I could see problems for people who want to walk and take public transit with a huge red plastic puff to deal with, but overall, a great concept.
Posted by: Dominic Muren | September 12, 2006 9:05 PM
Beautiful concept. Love the tie-in with the city of London´s marketing...very smart. When I imaging using it, I think that the way the handle is off to the side might actually make it quite awkward to hold. The recyclability and monomaterial is smart. And the idea of people sharing them is excellent although not being able to bring them in a bus or building is challenging. Lovely presentation.
Posted by: grahamhill![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://umbrella.treehugger.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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September 14, 2006 5:51 AM