The beauty, says Augustin, is that the bench is perfectly suited to be used in a plethora of ways by introverts and extroverts alike:
"I've seen people arrange themselves along its length when they want to make eye contact with others OR NOT, knowing, instinctively that connections can happen when we catch each other's eyes. These eye-links can read minds. For introverts, though, continuous contact can be unpleasant; and even the most extroverted of us needs a little alone time once in a while."
The bench lives in a pocket park next to the Chicago Temple.
Comments
Curved Bench in a Park
Prakash M. Apte
Urban Development Consultant
A Curved Bench in a Park
The objectives of placing a bench in a Park should be to let people rest for a while, facilitate watching the scene- landscape,trees,flowers,birds,sky or whatever, just rest in peace with closed eyes, look at the scene without really observing it but just thinking, look at the sky and contemplate or introspect. It is certainly not to be with a lot of other people for which one can choose a spot near a fountain, water body,barbecue spot, play equipment etc in fact not to come to a park but go to a club or restaurant. A curved bench helps accommodating a host of people- at a railway station for example- where there is a quick 'turnover' of people where one may not like to make eye contact with strangers or just find a right spot on the bench to watch the kiosks.gates,the clock.train schedule boards, in-gate waiting for a contact to appear etc . A curved bench could also be appropriate in an art gallery to watch a piece of interest,a sculpture or a painting.
As an Architect, planner and designer I would not place a curved bench -whether made of timber or wrought iron - in a public park unless the intention is simply not to facilitate vagabonds from using the furniture as a 'bed' for siesta or sleep!