Comments on: Lean or mean?

By: » Blog Archive » State Alpha, on the architecture of sleep at the NAI in Maastricht

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 05:35:32 +0000

[...] on a bench of the type of a growing number of public benches constructed so as to prevent people lying down or sleeping. The bench she chose is located at Vienna’s Westbahnhof, the place where in 1989 [...]

By: (Anti-)public seating roundup at fulminate // Architectures of Control

(Anti-)public seating roundup at fulminate // Architectures of Control — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:22:54 +0000

[...] Following last week’s post on the ‘Lean Seat’, John Curran let me know about the ‘bench object’ installation by sculptor Matthew Hincman. This was installed in a Boston park without any permission from the authorities, removed and then reinstated (for a while, at least) after the Boston Arts Commission and Parks Commission were impressed by the craftsmanship, thoughtfulness and safety of the piece. [...]

By: Crosbie Fitch

Crosbie Fitch — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:03:14 +0000

That was good JOhn, thanks.

By: JOhn Curran

JOhn Curran — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 11:48:59 +0000

Speaking of guerilla-type tactics, a Boston “guerilla artist” recently designed and installed in a local park (without the authorities’ permission) a wooden “bench object” styled similarly to the one pictured above, but shaped like a “U”.
It is completely unsittable.

It’s puzzling at first, but it now seems like the perfect critique of the “deliberately uncomfortable public seating” discussed here.

Here’s a radio story & photo gallery of the installation:
http://www.wbur.org/arts/2006/60500_20060830.asp

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 10:57:43 +0000

Sorry Alex, have corrected the link; thanks for letting me know.

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 07:51:28 +0000

Posturite needs some cookies, or it won’t let you in. Please check the link.

By: Crosbie Fitch

Crosbie Fitch — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:35:32 +0000

So, how about guerilla marketing style anti-anti-sit seats?

1) Utilise the cardboard furniture technique: http://www.rd.se/1/product_info.php?products_id=356
http://www.paperpod.co.uk/chairinevent.htm

2) Find a design for a ‘cardboard park bench’ that is simple enough that it can be cobbled together from a variety of sizes of cardboard boxes one might find behind the shops of a high street.

3) Print a reel of white parcel tape with the words “This eco-friendly bench provided for the benefit of itinerants and residents of Dismalton, Rottenborough District. Sit as long as you want. Lay down and sleep by all means, but please share this seat with others.”

4) Each night, raid the backs of shops for large cardboard boxes, whip out the box cutters/Stanley knives and knock out umpteen park benches, bus stop seats, etc.

Or something like that.

Perhaps also, for each anti-sit seat design, one could come up with cardboard add-ons that re-enable long-term seating and recumbence. These could be labelled “Temporary Seat Repairs”, “Protective Seat Covers”, “Citizen City Seats”, or something far wittier.

Alternatively, one could construct life sized, papier mache vagrants/scare-crows/effigies (using very smelly paper collected from refuse sites) and affix these to all the anti-sit benches (finishing the effect by covering the seat-abuser with an ill-fitting cardboard box).

By: Vera

Vera — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:27:34 +0000

I share your dislike, Dan.

My personal view also takes in the non-homeless/loitering citizens most likely to need or appreciate a place to sit and rest. This includes not only tired moms (been there done that) but also people with injuries (including athletes and those recovering from surgery) as well as a goodly percentage of the older half of our increasingly aging population. What number of these citizens give up how much needed exercise, fresh air, etc., for the reasons you post about?

Less exercise slows healing and also speeds health deterioration associated with aging. Do you think that this translates into increased medical costs to the state?

Vera