Is it an installation? Is it a bench? Is it a fitness trail? Is it a bicycle rack? Or is it what the city is all about?

“This is my bench” is a symbolic and conceptual installation that seeks to connect people to each other and to public space. The project encourages people to explore their surroundings, to catch up with friends, to rest, to enjoy the park and the wider city.

“This is my bench” stands in the middle of Sir John Franklin Park. The site has been chosen for its relationship to nature, its dimensions and the possibilities it has to offer. Located at the crossing of the park’s two main paths, along the Great Trail, “This is my bench” becomes a meeting point, a destination for the daily or weekend walk .“ Its vivid color, its unusual shape and its sense of openness invites users to explore this urban installation and discover its unique potential. Allowing them to take a break from their hectic lifestyle.

The concept behind the project is based on the “familiar” and “versatile”. Our philosophy is to design inclusive urban furniture, using objects and material found everywhere. With the aim to be as environmentally sustainable as possible, “This is my bench” is a collection of recycled roadway equipment. Each piece is repurposed and redecorated with environmentally friendly pink paint before this new life.

“This is my bench” is about freedom: freedom to explore and freedom to play. “This is my bench” will bring you back to your childhood, when you were fearless and free. The boldest will test their balance, the day-dreamers will simply rest and look around. Children dream, sitting on barrier and looking at the horizon. “This is my bench” is an urban experiment, an invitation to reclaim the city and its public space.

“This is my bench” is made up of 23 components, including a folding parking hoop, reinforced long hoop barrier, a security bollard, a reinforced short hoop barrier, a light post, a column protector, a bike rack. All are placed along a zigzag line and connected to the ground by a layer of EPDM which binds all the elements together and helps delimit the space around the bench. All the components of the bench can be mixed and matched to explore interesting variations and configurations. The road equipment should be recycled elements to give more meaning to the bench and underline a sustainable approach.