Outsiders by lije Studio and Amorf Praxis Rethinks Public Seating
Amy Duong — April 5, 2026 — Art & Design
References: design-milk
Outsiders by lije studio and Amorf Praxis is an experimental design project that reimagines public seating as a flexible system rather than fixed infrastructure. Developed as both a feasibility study and exhibition, it uses benches to explore how people gather, pause, and occupy shared space. Instead of static forms, the project introduces adaptable seating that responds to shifting social and spatial needs, questioning how public environments support both interaction and solitude.
The project includes two distinct systems. Venture by lije studio uses curved and straight steel tubes to create fluid seating that can support multiple orientations, allowing users to sit alone or in groups without prescribed positions. Klopp by Amorf Praxis focuses on modular wooden benches with adjustable heights and configurations, designed to be installed in uneven or overlooked urban areas. Both systems prioritize reusability, easy assembly, and responsiveness to site conditions
Image Credit: lije studio, Amorf Praxis
The project includes two distinct systems. Venture by lije studio uses curved and straight steel tubes to create fluid seating that can support multiple orientations, allowing users to sit alone or in groups without prescribed positions. Klopp by Amorf Praxis focuses on modular wooden benches with adjustable heights and configurations, designed to be installed in uneven or overlooked urban areas. Both systems prioritize reusability, easy assembly, and responsiveness to site conditions
Image Credit: lije studio, Amorf Praxis
Trend Themes
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Modular Adaptive Seating — Interchangeable seating modules that support varied postures and social configurations suggest products that blur the line between furniture and space-making systems.
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Flexible Public Furniture Systems — Systems prioritized for easy assembly, reusability, and responsiveness reveal potential for lifecycle-focused models that treat seating as a service rather than static infrastructure.
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Reconfigurable Urban Infrastructure — Site-responsive benches designed for uneven or overlooked areas indicate a move toward embedded urban elements that evolve with shifting micro-urban conditions.
Industry Implications
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Urban Planning — Adaptable seating frameworks influence circulation and social nodes, enabling planners to reconceive how public space supports both interaction and solitude.
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Outdoor Furniture Manufacturing — Producers of outdoor furnishings are encountering demand for modular, repairable components and standardized connection systems that permit onsite customization.
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Event and Temporary Spaces — Operators of temporary events and activations are seeing value in seating systems that reconfigure rapidly to accommodate changing densities and multiuse scenarios.
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