I hate them, all the ergonomics of a pineapple stuffed where it doesn't belong.
Why not individual cast concrete chairs? They could even swivel in an underground ball and socket. I've never seen more than 2 people sitting on a bench, you can't face each other to talk and those picnic tables with integral bench seats are even worse, trying to extricate yourself from between two people is nearly impossible.
I think a thinnish shell in a compound curve could provide a lot of comfort and apparantly it can now be reinforced with glass fibres instead of steel mesh, the casting being much lighter.
Imagine cocrete tulip like chairs cascading down a slope in a park, lovely.
Thoughts?
projects
Check out this belgian design project/competition
http://www.parckdesign2007.be/en/vote2007
"Perhaps the idea is not to make 'em too comfortable."
Truer words where never spoken.
Unfortunately, when specifying public outdoor seating
the image below is a factor in product selection & configuration.
Comfortable for leisure but inhospitable for slumming.
Not humanitarian but a valid concern for clients.
vessel shaped things
My own observation of vessel shaped things - tulip chairs for instance - is that they collect other things: water, trash, dirt etc. whereas a slatted surface allows most detrius to pass through.
I'm a big fan of slabs of granite laid out horizontal - both from an aesthetic standpoint as well as a functional one. They are meant for light sitting, not camping out all day.
I do find it funny when people go purely aesthetic and ignore function - see the granite chairs in Bostons subway system below.
Those chairs in boston are...
Those chairs in boston are horrible I seen them when I was up there and thought what in the world.
My father is the director of the coun ty parks in my area and he has made all kinds of functional seating from trees that would have been left to rot or burned.
It is the simplest design ever but are very functional. he has made them since I was a little kid. Making me the first one my own little fire side chair.
all he does is cut a section of tree/log to the desired size and then runs the chain saw down the making a backrest and then coemsin from the side part way down to take the section out making a chair shapped log. very simple very easy and a great look for a park. they can be clear coated to help protect them but he just leaves them as-is and they burn them and make new when they get old.
Also a great thing to do with tree stumps rather them remove the tree cut it into a chair. he made a one from a huge tree that came down next to the lake with armrests and everything kind of a small love seat large chair looking out on the lake. everytime i go to the park someone is enjoying it.
I will have to get a picture but it is very simple design anyone could make and uses no new materials just trees that are already falling down in the woods.
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Thanks FM, I know the sort of thing you mean and they are suprisingly comfortable, I'd prefer to see the log rounded on the lathe and them carefully cut...just an aesthetic preference though it might help with splinters.
I think the quality of public seating speaks to how much we devalue public property and simply being in a public, most people just can't wait to get home and stare at television. I'll happily take a book into a park and sit for hours.
I think the concrete chair could work if a void was included bewteen seat and back, I had thought of a drainage hole but Lucifers point about rubbish was a good one. I live in a town that calls itself 'the garden city' and the parks and gardens service does a great job in every area (cleaning especially) except seating and tables.
Or theres something like these
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