It started when I bought my wife a good quality, Australian made swimsuit*. It cost $300, but proved to be worth every cent. The confidence it gave her, with its uniform finish and shape control, achieved with bust darts and self-lining, wiped away her anxieties. Like never before, we started enjoying our time at the beach!
At the time I was rather half-heartedly studying fashion. That might seem odd for someone with a PhD in architectural history, but after five years of book tours and keynotes (see below), I was getting tired of my own voice. I was studying fashion in the hope I might fall in love with it. Thanks to that swimsuit, I did.
I set myself a challenge, to replicate and surpass my wife’s swimsuit. It took a year and an investment in seven different types of industrial machines, and would not have been possible had I not found a consultant, a seasoned designer who had worked for major swim brands all over the world. Through her, I made contact with an elite cult of machinists, all in one factory in Sydney, keeping luxury swimwear alive. When I learned they had made my wife's swimsuit, I knew I had come to the source.
Through their generosity, and my own perseverance, I became part of that cult. Now I am among a small number of people who, by their own hands, are able to make a luxury swimsuit.
I spent my 20s designing buildings, my 30s teaching, my 40s writing books and generating ideas, but in my 50s I have a product to offer. I am able to design, prototype, promote and produce a luxury swimsuit with absolute control of the process. I rely on no-one but those who value my product, for the enjoyment of the beach I can bring them.
—Dr. Steven Fleming, 2020.
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For any who may be interested, below you will find links to publications and talks from my life as an architectural historian.
MY BOOKS
Steven Fleming, Velotopia: The Production of Cycle-Space in Our Minds and Our Cities, Rotterdam: NAi010 Publishers, 2017. ISBN 978-94-6208-352-3
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Steven Fleming, Cycle Space: Architecture and Urban Design in the Age of the Bicycle, Rotterdam: NAi010 uitgevers, 2012. ISBN 978 94 6208 004 1
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PRESS FOR MY WORK
“What a city would look like if it was designed for only bikes (no cars allowed!)” interview with Adele Peters from Fast Company. http://www.fastcoexist.com/3052018/what-a-city-would-like-if-it-was-designed-for-only-bikes-no-cars-allowed/7
“What Would a ‘Cycling Utopia’ Look Like?” Interview with Sarah Goodyear, in City Lab [The Atlantic]. http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2015/10/what-would-a-cycling-utopia-look-like/411031/#disqus_thread
Steven Fleming, “What would the perfect cycling city look like?” in The Guardian, 9.8.2017 https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/bike-blog/2017/aug/09/what-would-the-perfect-cycling-city-look-like
Felicity Stone “How to plan a city for cyclists“, in BC Business. http://www.bcbusiness.ca/lifestyle/how-to-plan-a-city-for-cyclists?utm_source=BCBusiness+Newsletters&utm_campaign=37cb2c9781-BCBusiness_enewsletter03November201511_2_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ca728b16ff-37cb2c9781-141516477
Michael William interviews Marianne Weinreich and Steven Fleming for Radio National’s “Blueprint for Living“. http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/blueprintforliving/cycling-cities/6866696
'Een fietsvriendelijke stad is geen linkse kwestie' interview with Hella Hueck, in fd.nl, https://fd.nl/economie-politiek/1259483/een-fietsvriendelijke-stad-is-geen-linkse-kwestie
“Rental bikes or e-scooters: Who will win Berlin's urban mobility battle?” interview with Enrique Anarte for Deutsche Welle (DW) https://www.dw.com/en/rental-bikes-or-e-scooters-who-will-win-berlins-urban-mobility-battle/a-49616348
“Blame it on the bike: does cycling contribute to a city's gentrification?” Interview with Peter Geoghegam in The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/oct/05/blame-bike-cycling-contribute-city-gentrification
“Australische Designer erdenken die perfekte Fahrradstadt” (Australian designers think up the perfect cycling city) in Wired.de. https://www.wired.de/collection/latest/wie-wurde-die-perfekte-stadt-fur-radfahrer-aussehen
Interview with Sophie Kleman, by in .mic. https://mic.com/articles/126823/cycle-space-is-what-a-city-would-look-like-with-bikes-instead-of-cars#.ckcnSvVJ6
“vêm aí as cidades só para bicicletas?” In Pedais (Portuguese) http://pedais.pt/velotopia-vem-ai-as-cidades-so-para-bicicletas/
Lloyd Alter, “Architect imagines a neighborhood and a whole new building type designed around bikes” in Treehugger. http://www.treehugger.com/urban-design/cycle-tracks-will-abound-velotopia-architect-proposes-new-building-type-designed-around-bikes.html
“Arquitectura ciclista: una revolución sobre pedales“, interview with Rebeca Queimalino for Ciclosfera Magazine (Spanish). http://www.ciclosfera.com/arquitectura-ciclista-revolucion-pedales/
“Could Australia become a Utopia for Cycling? on ABC Radio National Drive with Kirsty Kelly, CEO Planning Institute of Australia http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/could-australia-become-a-utopia-for-cycling3f/5764134
Steven Fleming interview by Archinect: “Working Out of the Box: Steven Fleming.” http://archinect.com/features/article/84683423/working-out-of-the-box-steven-fleming
Cycle Space reviewed by L.A. Review of Books. https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/chain-reaction-urban-politics-in-the-age-of-the-bicycle/
Cycle Space reviewed by Domus http://www.domusweb.it/en/reviews/2013/04/19/bike_culture_andurbanspace.html
Cycle Space reviewed by Archidose http://archidose.blogspot.nl/2013/02/28-in-28-12-cycle-space.html
“Bike and the City”, in Vogue Italia. June 2014, n. 766, p.68 http://www.vogue.it/en/people-are-talking-about/vogue-arts/2014/06/bike-and-the-city
“Cycle Space, Steven Fleming” interview in Singapore Architect http://cycle-space.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Fleming-interview-Singapore-Architect.pdf
“On your Bike,” Interviewed for HR Monthly http://cycle-space.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/On-your-bike.pdf
Interview in Dutch building industry newspaper Cobouw (Dutch language) http://cycle-space.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/cyclespace_page.pdf
Review of Cycle Space in NRC Handelsblad (Dutch language) http://cycle-space.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Cycle-Space-NRC-Handelsblad-Maartje-Somers-Lux-spread-10-11-2012.pdf
Review of Cycle Space in ArchiNed (English translation) http://cycle-space.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Cycle-Space-ArchiNed-Joost-Zonneveld-15-11-2012.pdf
Review of Cycle Space in RO Magazine (Dutch language) http://cycle-space.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Cycle-Space-RO-Magazine-November-2012-08-11-2012.pdf
Interviewed by Jonathan Maus from Bike Portland Interview. http://bikeportland.org/2011/05/25/interview-bikes-architecture-and-cycle-space-with-steven-fleming-52985
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CONSULTANCIES
Drammen Hospital Redevelopment. In collaboration with Futurebuilt, Fragment Architects, Trøbbelskyter and Helene Gallis, Steven has developed a masterplan for this site’s redevelopment.
New Nittedal Center, In collaboration with Ramboll Engineering in Oslo and Everyday architects in Copenhagen, Steven produced an urban growth plan for Nittedal, Norway. http://www.arkitektur.no/nye-nittedal-sentrum
VeloCity Maryville. Through design advice and professional lobbying (research, report writing and presentations) Steven helped property developers Mavid Group increase site yield and bicycle amenity while reducing incentives to to drive from this new housing development in Newcastle, Australia. http://velocitymaryville.com.au/vision/
Guangming New District Green Transportation Plan. Working for the International New Town Institute in the Netherlands and the Shenzhen Design Centre in China, Steven designed a bicycle network and design guidelines integrated with a new BRT system, existing subway and high speed rail nodes. https://vimeo.com/246287591
Bogota Bicycle Innovation Centre. Working for the Peñalosa administration and Bogota’s Secretariat of Education, Steven wrote the design competition brief for an “iconic” school and bicycle innovation centre for the district of Bosa. http://www.educacionbogota.edu.co/es/sitios-de-interes/nuestros-sitios/agencia-de-medios/noticias-intitucionales/el-centro-de-la-bicicleta-que-se-construira-en-bosa-es-unico-en-el-mundo
Curator of The Bicycle Architecture Biennale, starting in Amsterdam then touring the Netherlands throughout 2017. Press: http://www.archdaily.com/873332/worlds-first-bicycle-architecture-biennale-to-debut-in-amsterdam
Singapore Active Transport Strategy. Knowledge sharing with CEOs and chiefs of the URA, LTA, HDB and NPB to assist with the development of a national active transport strategy for Singapore.
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SPEAKING HIGHLIGHTS
Brisbane, Economic Development Queensland, “Embracing cycle-based design”, keynote by Steven Fleming, 23 May 2018.
Leiden, Architectuur Week Congress, "The Randstad: a one-off or a prototype?" keynote with Vogel Kielgast from GEHL Architects, 19 August 2018.
Oslo, Norwegian Green Building Council (NGBC) and DOGA, "Kan fremtidens bygg få flere til å sykle?" keynote by Steven Fleming, 19 March 2018.
Bogota, Secretaria de Desarroollo Economico, “La mano invisible en el diseno del espacio para la bici”, special address by Steven Fleming, 29 June 2017
Zaragoza City of Bikes/ La Ciudad de las Bicis in Zaragoza 2017. “Cities of the twenty-first century”, conference closing keynote by Steven Fleming, 30 April 2017.
Oslo, FutureBuilt, “In Search of Lost Time”, Keynote address on the occasion of the launch of Norway’s bike friendly workplace accreditation scheme. In Search of Lost Time, Oslo City Hall.
Friedrichshafen, EuroBike 2016, address on behalf of Shimano to a meeting of CEOs of the world’s major bicycle manufacturing companies to explain likely futures for urban cycling and industry’s power to shape them.
Amsterdam, Pakhuis de Dezwijger, keynote speaker at the launch of Amsterdam's 2016 FabCity Campus as part of Europe by People. 16.11.2015.
Vancouver, Architectural Institute of British Columbia, plenary talk “Why a Human Powered Mega City Could Have the Fastest Commutes”, and moderator of “disruptive trends” panel. 29-30.10.2015.
Adelaide, The annual conference of the European Cyclists’ Federation (Velo-City), plenary, “Inventing building typologies and urban morphologies that proceed from bicycle motion”, (29.5.14)
Nijmegen, 3rd annual conference of the European Cyclologistics Federation. Keynote: “What Architecture can do for Cyclologistics” (12.4.14)
Sydney, The Australian Institute of Architects. keynote speaker, “The Dollars and Sense of Building for Bikes”. In conjunction with Sydney Rides Festival, Short Communications and AMP Capital. 22.10.13.
Sydney, PowerHouse Museum/Design Rapha Cycle Club: “Futurama Reset”, 9.8.13
New York, Centre for Architecture, AIA. “International Bike Cities”. Invited keynote speaker and forum panel member. 7.13
Rotterdam, NAi, Urban Bike Night, Invited keynote to launch the book Cycle Space and forum panel member. 22.11.12
Singapore, SIA Archifest Forum, “Rethinking Cycling,” Invited keynote speaker and forum panel member. 10.12.
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OTHER WRITING
BOOK CHAPTERS
Steven Fleming, “The Daphne Schipper Bridge”, in Ride a Bike, Reclaim the City, ed. Deutsches Architekturmuseum, Birkhauser, 2018. (Includes chapters from Jan Gehl and Janette Sadik-Khan.)
Steven Fleming, “Bike Paths to Nowhere: A Case for Bike Infrastructure that Ignores the Street Network”, in Bicycle Urbanism: Reimagining Bicycle Friendly Cities (Urban Planning and Environment) Rachel Berney (ed.), Routledge, 2017. ISBN-13: 978-1472456632, ISBN-10: 1472456637
Steven Fleming, “A landscape cycled is a landscape conserved”, in Yorit Kluitman, Bicycle Landscape, Rotterdam, NAi010, 2017. ISBN: 978-94-6208-387-5
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ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS
Fleming, S., “Museums as Places for Imagining the Future of Cities,” National Museum of Australia’s People and Environment Blog. 6.5.2015 https://pateblog.nma.gov.au/2015/05/06/museums-as-places-for-imagining-the-future-of-cities/
Angelina Russo, Steven Fleming: [re] cycle spaces. Traces and Hauntings, Edited by Katie Hayne, Jen Webb, 08/2015: chapter 18: pages 44-45; Centre for Creative & Cultural Research, University of Canberra., ISBN: 978-1-74088-424-2
Steven Fleming and Angelina Russo “Utopia: Seriously, good urban design should aspire to it“, in The Conversation. 4.11.2012, https://theconversation.com/utopia-seriously-good-urban-planning-should-aspire-to-it-33358#comment_511735 Reprinted in ArchitectureAU: http://architectureau.com/articles/utopia-seriously-good-urban-planning-should-aspire-to-it/
Fleming, S. & Russo, A (2014) London's SkyCycle bike route – elevation of the white male elite? The Conversation. 13 January 2014 http://theconversation.com/londons-skycycle-bike-route-elevation-of-the-white-male-elite-21961
Russo and Fleming. Australians Dream of Speed.National Museum of Australia Dec 2013
http://www.nma.gov.au/online_features/cycling_in_australia/sound_and_vision/australians_dream_of_speed
Russo, A & Fleming, S. (2013) Reimagining Australia…by bike. The Conversation 25 November 2013 https://theconversation.com/reimagining-australia-by-bike-19545
Angelina Russo and Steven Fleming “Reimagining Australia … by bike“, in The Conversation, 11.2013
Steven Fleming, “Ride to work? You’ll need a bike barrier for that”, in The Conversation, 15.10.13, http://theconversation.com/ride-to-work-youll-need-a-bike-barrier-for-that-19111
Lee Roberts, Steven Fleming, "Foster + Partners’ SkyCycle and the technological sublime", 7th International Urban Design Conference, 1st - 3rd September, 2014
Steven Fleming, “The Bicycle Oriented Development (BOD): A New Tool in Urban Resilience,” in Resilience in Urban Design, Proceedings of the 4th International Urban Design Conference, 21st-23rd September 2011, Gold Coast, Australia. pp.80-87. ISBN: 978-0-9808147-3-6
Fleming, S., “Newcastle Bicycle City,” Smart Future Cities 2015, conference ran by the Tom Farrell Institute, Newcastle, 1-3 October 2015. http://www.smartfuturecities.com.au/presentations.html 2.10.2015
Steven Fleming, “The subcultures behind the cultural ascension of cycling”, in The 2010 Healthy Cities Conference, Stamford Plaza Brisbane, 12th & 13th of July.
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NON-ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS
Steven Fleming, “What would the perfect cycling city look like?” in The Guardian, 9.8.2017 https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/bike-blog/2017/aug/09/what-would-the-perfect-cycling-city-look-like
Steven Fleming, “Designing Cities: Bicycle-Dependent Urban Expansion“, in Momentum Mag, 19.4.2016
Steven Fleming and Charlotte Morton, “10 Points of a bicycling architecture” in ArchDaily. 9.12.2014 (Reprinted in NYC property magazine 6sqft, and ArchDaily Brazil.) http://www.archdaily.com/576098/10-points-of-a-bicycling-architecture/
Steven Fleming 1.7.14, “Urbanistyczny potencjał ruchu rowerowego” [The potential of urban cycling] in. Autoportret, 2 [45] 2014, pp.44-51.
Steven Fleming “Cycling for Space” in The Adelaide Review. 5.5.2014
Steven Fleming, Toward Cycle Cities: How Architects Must Make Bikes Their Guiding Inspiration, ArchDaily, 19 Sep. 2013 http://www.archdaily.com/429945/toward-cycle-cities-how-architects-must-make-bikes-their-guiding-inspiration/
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AWARDS
Steven Fleming receives DARCH Horse Award from the Australian Institute of Architects 22.11.2013 http://cycle-space.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/DARCH-Dark-Horse-Award.jpg
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EXHIBITIONS
Steven Fleming, curator, The 2017 Bicycle Architecture Biennale, Amsterdam, June 2017. Press: http://www.archdaily.com/873332/worlds-first-bicycle-architecture-biennale-to-debut-in-amsterdam
Designs selected for inclusion in Freewheeling: Cycling in Australia, The National Museum of Australia, 2014-2017 https://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/freewheeling