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Moments at the Lakeside Bench
It’s rare to encounter a sunny day in early spring in London. Yet, there it was—a brilliantly sunny day that, paradoxically, deepened my gloom. I’ve always found comfort in cloudy, rainy weather when I’m feeling down, as if the dreariness outside somehow soothes my inner turmoil. I had just come back from school, dejected after…
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Friendship in the age of Lockdown
As the lockdown era dawned, kids across the UK and Europe felt like they were living in a giant bubble, cut off from their buddies at school. It’s crazy to think back on it now, but we were only allowed out for an hour each day. So, my daughter and I hopped on our bikes…
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Which is worse?
‘How did you break both ankles?’ I asked the girl I met at this Ramsden Road bench. She was enjoying an ice cream, sat down wearing heavy ankle braces on both her legs. It seems she had broken both ankles. Wow, and how?! ‘I was dancing in super high heels. It was a smashing party!’…
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The Public Bench Project
The “Public Bench Project” is a fascinating initiative in San Francisco, which bypasses some of the typical bureaucracy involved in public infrastructure. This project places benches across the city to build community by giving people a place to meet and rest. It promotes the use of public spaces and aims to enhance neighborhood bonds. The…
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The Habitat Future Design Award
Sheffield Hallam University’s Harvey McKellar created a park bench that aims to be more than a functional or decorative furniture piece by having a positive impact on mental health. It is a subject he is especially passionate about, as he experienced a suicide in his family in his teens. The design employs 25-degree-angles which mean…
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The positive effects of benches in public spaces
The Bench Project was initiated by Dr. Clare Rishbeth at the University of Sheffield and it focuses on the role of benches in public spaces and their impact on social wellbeing. The project explores how spending time outdoors on benches can be beneficial for mental health and community connection, particularly important for individuals who may…
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Alone Together (The Social Life of Benches)
Watching the world go by in an exploration of the use of public spaces. London-based artist and director Esther Johnson talks about her project Alone Together: The Social Life of Benches: “The film looks at how individuals and groups use public and liminal spaces. Drawing on a series of oral testimonies and composed portraits, we wanted to illuminate the…
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The democratic value of benches
Radhika Bynon argues that bench provision and bench use are underpinned by a civil tradition of public space that reflects core egalitarian and democratic values. Radhika is a Programme Leader at The Young Foundation and co-investigator on The Bench Project. “This place is absolutely marvellous. It really gives you hope for the future. Just look around, how many different cultures…