Real Smooth

In architecture, the solution to a problem is often found not in discussion or on paper but by building something tangible to test our ideas. The same is true for finding problems in need of a solution. While we've calculated, drawn and modeled the Cyclodrome, many facts about its operation have only made sense once it was built.

To ride on the Cyclodrome (or any velodrome) a rider must maintain friction with the track to counter the downward pull of gravity. To maintain friction, the track must constantly curve toward the rider, or at least remain flat. At no point should it slope down, for even the slightest bump or jump will remove the upward resistance of friction, leaving the rider nowhere to go but down. When finishing the frame of the first quadrant, we found that the transition between straight track and curved track was a little too sharp - risking just such a bump.

Above: A support returns from the shop.

The problem lay with our design of supports. We had two systems for measuring the change in support heights down the track - one for curved track, in which angles rose gradually to our maximum angle, and one for straight track, in which angles lowered sharply. When straight track rose to meet curved track, it did so too sharply, producing a bump. After some discussion, we found a solution - raising the lower straight-track supports to produce a higher track with one consistent system of curvature. With some testing, we found new heights for the lowest supports that fit with the rest of the Cyclodrome for a smooth ride once more. With our construction methods, supports were adjusted quickly and easily. Along with these modifications, we also spent the day beginning work on the next quadrants' supports, to ensure a smooth transition along the whole track.

Above: A smooth ride is cause for celebration.

Starting the Assembly Line

One of the greatest advantages that our team has in the final construction of Cyclodrome is an abundance of labor. We have a very large team (15 people) compared to the scope of our project, and so can keep a very large amount of work going at once. This makes working to our maximum potential a continuous challenge - in the hectic atmosphere of a busy shop in which materials are constantly in motion, it's difficult to keep 15 pairs of hands productive at once. To help solve this problem, we've formed groups to keep clear which students are doing which tasks. Groups regularly change depending on whether the day's work is triangular supports or track, and we aim to have each student do every job at least once.

In today's construction of triangular supports, the first group measured and cut the horizontal and upright members of each element.

The second group linked together the horizontal and vertical members with corner base plates.

After measuring the resulting angle, the third group measured and cut the angled members of each triangle to fit snugly into the complete element.

A fourth group cut and placed plates to hold the complete triangle in place. These edge plates are made of larger pieces of wood to provide greater strength at points of extreme stress.

Finally, all completed frame pieces were fitted into their places in the King Pavilion. With our organized process, we were able to build enough frame for one quadrant of the Cyclodrome in only three hours! With progress like this, we look forward to completing the rest in the coming weeks.

Staying on Track

With the frame of our prototype in place, we've spent the last few workdays tackling a much tougher challenge: fitting the track onto our frame. Turning square pieces of flat plywood into curved, angled pieces of track is no easy matter due to the complexity of the shape required. Each piece must be individually measured and cut to interlock with each of the other pieces and the frame, without any cracks or unevenness that could endanger riders. This process has its tradeoffs - the maximum width of the track exceeds the maximum width (eight feet) of standard plywood, usually at the sharpest point of the track's curve. To once again focus on safety, we opted to add extra plywood sheets only at the furthest reaches of the curve, where riders are less likely to encounter a joint between two sheets.

The curved nature of our track presents an additional challenge, since flat plywood tries hard to stay flat. Screwing pieces of track to the frame will hold a curve, but the track must be thin enough to be bent into shape, while at the same time remaining thick enough to remain stable under the forces that the finished track must carry. Since our initial testing found half-inch plywood to be too unstable, we tested our prototype with 3/4-inch plywood.

When that turned out to be too difficult to bend, we adjusted by cutting a series of grooves into the back of our sheets to approximate a more pliable 5/8-inch depth. For the sake of efficiency and price, this means that our final construction will be done with 5/8-inch plywood, as cutting grooves is extremely time-consuming and the structural benefit of the extra material is negligible. Finding the right depth of track has been been one of many lessons learned through the challenges of prototyping, but we're confident that the final Cyclodrome will be that much better for our experience.

With the power of imagination, it's more than just a prototype.

Making a Method

We've started work on the first few prototypes of the supports that will fasten Cyclodrome's track into place. This kind of trial construction gives us valuable experience, teaching us which methods are most efficient and least prone to errors. We have enough equipment and labor for a large and complex building process, and so want to create the best process that we can. To help us develop our process, we opted to create a prototype of the most challenging part of the track - the transition between gently-sloped straight track and sharply-angled turns.

The characteristics of this part of the track are crucial to the success of Cyclodrome. If the transition from a gentle slope to the sharp slope of the turns is too long, riders could be guided over the turns instead of around them. If the transition is too quick, it could be very hard to transition from track to curve and back again. Some of the team spent some extra time double-checking our design calculations and refining the geometry of the track to ensure a balanced transition.

To prepare for the arrival of prototype sections and set the stage for final construction, another group has expanded on previous work to create a complete floor layout. When final construction of Cyclodrome begins, the position of every support will have been measured and marked on the construction site. We have likewise created a cataloging system to identify each and every unique support and track piece and match them to their position on the site for a smooth fit.

The supports themselves are made of 2x4 lumber, cut to fit precisely into whichever angle is necessary for their section of track. To ensure a strong and stable frame able to endure the intense pressure of racing bikes, the connections were held together with plates screwed in from multiple directions and further reinforced with heavy-duty wood glue. The result is a series of extremely sturdy structural members, able to take the forces that will be applied to the track. In the coming days we'll begin cutting the track itself for the first time, but for now we have a working method to support it.

Above: A finished support.

The Work Begins

Initial planning has begun and we are ready to get this started. The first step is to layout the plan for the velodrome in the King Pavilion.




Some paid close attention to the details of the layout, while others



kept busy in another fashion.


Now that the track has been laid out and a plan has been established, the next step is to build a full scale mock up of a section of the velodrome.

More about King Pavilion

The King Pavilion is one of the newest buildings at Iowa State, and the newest addition to the College of Design, supplementing and expanding the Design Building that has served the college for over 30 years. Opened in 2009, the building showcases many emerging methods in green design and technology. The King Pavilion is an ideal site for our project because its interior revolves around an open core, filled only with movable furniture and partitions.As such, there is ample room for a large, dynamic project.

Another factor in our choice of the King Pavilion is its immediate proximity to the Design College's primary woodworking shop and materials loading dock. This means that during construction, components of the velodrome can be rapidly delivered, fabricated, assembled and adjusted without ever leaving the site.

It is a testament to how compact the Cyclodrome will be that while there is ample room for spectators, the space we have chosen for our initial construction is only 1200 square feet in size - barely the size of ten typical parking spaces. As the nation's smallest velodrome, Cyclodrome will be a fast, close-quarters experience for riders and builders alike, and we felt that building the velodrome indoors would best reflect that part of its character.

All about Cyclodrome

Welcome to Cyclodrome, the architectural project to build the nation's smallest velodrome right here at Iowa State! Whether you're one of the team sharing updates or just visiting, we're happy to have you following along.

Above: Some of the Cyclodrome team

 Who We Are

We are a team of graduate students in architecture at Iowa State University. We have come to architecture with skills and education from a broad range of backgrounds, including landscape architecture, interior design, physics, art history, engineering, sculpture, woodworking and language studies. We will be bringing together all of those skills to design, build and race a working velodrome in our studio from start to finish over the course of the summer.

Our Project

Our velodrome will be a "mini-drome" with a total track run of ~25 meters, offering a different experience from larger, more traditional velodromes. It will be designed to be disassembled and rebuilt elsewhere as needed.

The velodrome is being built on behalf of the Des Moines Bike Collective, a non-profit organization that works to make bicycling a more visible and enjoyable part of life in and around Central Iowa. The DMBC will be able to use the velodrome to raise awareness of cycling and promote educational and outreach events.

Our Site

The velodrome will be designed and built in King Pavilion, right here at the Design College at Iowa State University. Watch this spot as it goes from an empty studio to a complete, working velodrome in the course of a summer! We will be designing and documenting our process every step of the way, so you can see how the velodrome will come together. All in all, it will be an exciting and extraordinary summer, so stay tuned!