A couple of weeks ago when I saw these two Rickshaw symbols submitted from Bangladesh I knew there had to be a good story behind them.  So I reached out to the designer Stephen Kennedy and asked him a few questions about the beautiful designs.
 
Tell me a little about yourself and what you are doing in Bangladesh.
 
I am a Masters in City Planning student at the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT, focusing on using design and technology to enhance the ways that citizens and planners engage the planning process. My background is in product and graphic design, and I have been able to work on everything from lighting, packaging, and soft-goods, to public spaces, signage, waterfront greenways, and slum-upgrading projects.
 
I am currently in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with my classmate and good friend Albert Ching. Operating as the Urban Launchpad, we’re working on a project that uses mobile apps for data gathering to better understand the complex transportation conditions here in one of the most congested places in the world.  

As part of the data that we’ve collected, we’re creating a series of video snippets called “A Minute in Dhaka”, that pairs minute-long clips of intersections with the average counts of the transit modes that pass at any given minute (here’s one of our mock-ups).

Why did you design these Rickshaw Symbols?
 
We’ve also been working with local university students to brainstorm ideas about public transit. For many of the visuals we created for these sessions, we needed to represent the different transit modes using icons that people could quickly recognize, whether they speak English or Bangla. I had no trouble finding icons for things we’re used to in the west: cars, buses, bicycles, etc. But we needed to show popular modes that happen in South Asia, including rickshaws, so it seemed like a good opportunity to create them. The local team here was very excited to see represented on The Noun Project the modes they find so common. Thanks for approving them!
 
Do all the Rickshaws look the same?  How did you arrive at your final design?
 
In Bangladesh, there are two main types of rickshaws: the traditional, cycle-powered version and the auto rickshaw, known as a CNG because it’s fuel source is clean natural gas. Variations of both types exist throughout South and Southeast Asia, but Dhaka is often referred to as the “Rickshaw Capital of the World.” I think the design of each rickshaw icon reflects the basic elements of each transit mode. The cycle rickshaw builds off existing representation of the bicycle by adding a pedestrian seat and the distinctive articulated shade that provides much needed protection from the sun during traffic jams. In other countries, you can also find cycle rickshaws with the passenger seat in front of or to the side of the driver; the configuration in this design is prototypical of Bangladesh.

 Rickshaw Photo by Tony Cassidy.
 

The simplified icon, however, does not accurately reflect the motifs of political figures, mosques, floral patterns, famous pop stars, and world sites that decorate every available surface of the rickshaws. Some even have little cups incorporated into the handlebars to carry flowers or incense. Bangladeshis have also adapted the basic rickshaw structure to transport almost anything, from flocks of chickens to school children in ‘mini-bus’ format.
 
The CNG auto rickshaw design incorporates the overall enclosed, compact silhouette, with the negative space to suggest the passenger door and windows. I excluded a recent adaptation in Bangladesh, wire mesh coverings that have been added universally to enhance the safety of the pedestrians, in order to maintain the scalability of the icon.
 
I have to give a shout-out to the amazing local team we are working with: the adventure-seekers and community activists of Kewkradong Bangladesh. This crew is amazing at mobilizing their fellow citizens for the betterment of their city, and are currently trying to promote the use of another non-motorized transit option: the tandem bicycle. Perhaps this will be my next icon contribution!