Background: 

An Auckland based street lighting manufacturer saw an opportunity to compliment its lighting range with public seating.

 

The project began by observing people in public seating situations and interviewing urban planners to understand how existing public seating systems could be improved.

 

Problems and opportunities:

1. A large number of existing seating units incorporated wooden seating surfaces which were vulnerable to vandalism.

 

2. In addition to vandalism, cleaning and general wear and tear were issues affecting product longevity. 

 

3. From a user standpoint, many of the existing seats lacked comfort.

 

4. From a planning perspective, most of the available seating units lacked flexibility and visual appeal.

 

Key question:

How can an outdoor, public seating system deter vandalism while providing comfort for users and flexibility for planners?

 

Final proposal included:

1. Individual wire seating units which attach to a tubular steel frame- featuring a lack of surface area making vandalism a difficult task while minimising the need for cleaning.

 

2. Individual wire seating units feature spacing which provides more support where necessary to facilitate comfort.  

 

3. Overall visual appeal was achieved with a light appearance which would suit a wide range of environments.

 

4. Gold passivate finish on both seating units and frame ensured durability and longevity, while the modular system provided planners with a wide range of potential seating configurations.