ZEBRA PATH PRINTER

As part of an initiative to rethink and reclaim public space, The Lab of Thought supported Studio Muis in developing and testing a bike-powered zebra crossing printer—a mobile tool that empowers citizens to create their own safe crossings.

Concept:

Mounted onto a standard bicycle, the device sprays temporary, high-visibility stripes onto streets, symbolically (and functionally) marking pedestrian priority zones. The printer transforms an ordinary act—riding a bike—into an act of civic agency and spatial intervention.

Purpose:

The project challenges the traditional, top-down control of street design and draws attention to the lack of safe pedestrian infrastructure in many urban environments. It is a playful yet powerful act of prefigurative politics, showing how small actions can open new narratives about ownership, safety, and mobility in public space.

Impact:

• Activated public dialogue on pedestrian safety and urban design

• Demonstrated low-cost, high-visibility tactical urbanism

• Empowered communities to highlight gaps in pedestrian infrastructure

• Created a strong visual metaphor for citizen-led change

The bike-powered zebra printer stands as a symbol: safety and accessibility should not be a privilege granted from above—they are rights that communities can claim themselves.

If you are interested in building one yourslef? Do not hesitate because it’s fun and we got the whole figure out for you. Dowload the instructions. Link on the top of the page.