Creativity has no bounds, so something useless for someone may be useful for someone else. Case in point is bicycles that are usually dumped after life, but can instead be put to good use if viewed with a creative eye. DIY enthusiasts have already tried turning them into furniture, shelves, and lamps, but industrial designer Mal Yu, in collaboration with Fix Coffee + Bikes, came up with a unique project for its Kick, Stand! exhibition at DesignTO 2026 in Toronto. He has transformed components from discarded bicycles into functional objects that can showcase flowers.
The team transformed components from discarded bicycles into sculptural yet functional vessels designed to hold flowers. Crafted from reclaimed bike parts and enhanced with additive manufacturing, the collection explores the relationship between mechanical systems and organic life. Each vessel has visible scratches, bends, and patina that tell about its former moving life, while its new functionality of holding flowers adds a moment of stillness.
Different parts of bikes are used to make these sculptural vases that showcase the potential of upcycling. One of the vases is made from silver 3D printed tubes and a bicycle kickstand, while another is made from a tiered stack of dark bicycle sprockets forming a conical base. They have even stacked black bicycle sprockets and silver 3D printed cylinders into a vase.
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All of the vases are designed to hold only a single flower, which feels impressive, but it is their original structure that gets attention outright. Anyone would be surprised to see the new form of a bike kickstand or sprockets.
By repurposing material waste, these bicycle flower vases symbolize the power of renewal and balance. The project educates us to consider reuse, repair, and reinvent while also celebrating the quiet beauty found in rest after motion.
