Museum Benches
for National Museum of Wales
Public spaces offer a great
opportunity for sociability, seating can be the best way to make it
happen. Standard inline benches are the worst option. offering neither conviviality for those wishing it, or privacy for those who don't, and if it's bad for two people it's hopeless for groups of more. People never naturally adopt this physical relationship.
The gallery seating for the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, is a significant development in making public seating much more convivial.
- Each person has their own patch, this gives a sense of security, an aid to sociability.
- Being round they may be sat on in any direction, allowing a choice of relationship with other users, and the non linear arrangement is better for groups of more than two.
- The turned seats are dished and have softened edges, making them remarkably comfortable and very easy to maintain.
The Museum of Wales benches with their 4 seats are an immensely flexible arrangement, reference to the National Museums and Galleries of Wales will confirm their popularity with the public. Their structure implies an interdependence and a rotary motion that is very useful in the square gallery spaces.
We have done other versions of the seat form with the addition of backs and arms, which are very useful for the elderly and disabled.
A forthcoming development of these ideas for outdoor use will be at London’s Soho Green, a new open space in Wardour Street.
