The best and most interesting part about sculptural public seating designs is that such activations can animate common spaces while enhancing them functionally for residents, as well. Most recently, a team of up-and-coming architects and designers completed a set of sculptural public seating that was positioned in a riverside industrial district in London called the Royal Docks. This project was launched for the London Festival of Architecture's Pews and Perches competition which seeks to "enliven public space at the Royal Docks."
The sculptural public seating includes tactile stools ("Gam") made out of papercrete—a building material that is comprised out of re-pulped paper fiber, Portland cement or clay and/or other soil added—and a tall bench ("Cautionary Bench/Mark") that "symbolizes rising sea levels."
Image Credit: Luke O'Donovan
What's Driving This Trend
- Sculptural Public Seating Designs
- Opportunity for emerging architects and designers to create unique seating options that improve public spaces and add functionality for residents.
- Innovative Building Materials
- Opportunity for companies to explore the use of eco-friendly building materials like papercrete and clay for public art installations and functional furniture.
- Symbolic Public Art Installations
- Opportunity for artists and designers to create installations that convey meaning related to current social issues like climate change and rising sea levels.
Who This Affects Most
- Architecture and Design
- Industry professionals can develop strategies to create innovative and functional public spaces that engage communities and promote inclusion and sustainability.
- Building Materials
- Building material manufacturers can explore the use of eco-friendly materials for public art installations and functional furniture to promote sustainability and environmental stewardship.
- Public Art
- Artists and designers can create meaningful and symbolic installations in public spaces that engage communities and raise awareness on important social issues.
