Max Lamb, Scholten & Baijings, Philippe Malouin, and several other designers and studios have collaborated to design what they're calling 'Superbenches' in a park on the outskirts of Stockholm. The experimental set of ten benches attempt "to reconsider the concept of the traditional park bench while retaining its sole function of providing an urban meeting place to sit or relax," according to a description on Dezeen.
Some of the benches are more or less standard benches with added flourishes. Scholten & Baijings' Superbench simply applied the studio's unique vision of color theory to existing benches in the part, painting them with gradients of pink, green, and white. Other benches are more adventurous, like Philippe Malouin's massive stone structure that can seat three people in its interior, or Max Lambs' zigzagging bent steel bar.
Experimental Public Benches
A Group of Architects Designed 'Superbenches' for a Stockholm Park
Trend Themes
1. Experimental Public Benches - Incorporate unique and avant-garde design concepts to produce innovative urban seating solutions beyond the traditional park bench
2. Colorful Urban Furniture - Explore the potential of color theory in providing vibrant and lively public seating options
3. Sculptural Public Seating - Combine architecture, art, and design to develop sculptural benches that merge functionality and aesthetics in the urban landscape
Industry Implications
1. Architecture - Incorporate public seating solutions into architectural projects and urban landscapes to create dynamic spatial experiences
2. Furniture - Integrate contemporary and experimental design concepts into furniture production, particularly for public seating solutions and/or outdoor furniture
3. Urban Planning - Develop innovative and aesthetically pleasing public seating solutions to enhance urban public spaces, encouraging communal activities and social gatherings