FORMAKERS ( LG)

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FORMAKERS will take advantage of the "digital fabrication REvolution". We publish projects of urban design/ architectural research/ fashion design/ 3d print/ parametric design / architecture model /photography and much more. FORMAKERS invites architects, designers, artists, students, scientists and individuals of all backgrounds to explore, research and investigate new design paradigms and urban visions.

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17AUG 2013

THE LONGEST BENCH / STUDIO WEAVE

Posted in Architecture - Public spaces by FORMAKERS ( LG)

We imagined the Longest Bench as a charm bracelet gifted to the town as a delicate piece of jewellery that can accommodate new and varied additions. The form of the bracelet's chain is informed by the simple seaside boardwalk together with some maths that envisages movement. A charm bracelet consists of a simple chain which is personalised with trinkets given as presents by friends or family.

Each charm has its own story of travels or events or friendships. Each bracelet is a unique collection and may be adorned with a diverse and eccentric set of charms that are accumulated, swapped, and given as presents throughout their lifetime. A boardwalk is a path made up of timber boards tied together, laid to give access to sensitive environments. They are most often found meandering across sandy beaches or wetlands.

The simplest boardwalks, made of boards loosely tied together, are constructed around the existing environment: a run of boards resting gently on the sand, connecting the places along its way. Apollonius' Theorem is a geometric method to construct a parabola from straight lines. Through a simple series of straight lines, sinuous flowing curves can be constructed. The theorem may be described as follows: Assume a parabola with two points A and B and their tangents AS and BS are given; Pick a number, n and divide AS and BS into n equal intervals; Label division points on AS with numbers 1, 2, 3, … counting from S, and mark those on BS counting from B; Connect the points with the same labels. From Apollonius' theorem, the lines will envelope the parabola.

By using similar thinking, we developed the geometry of the Longest Bench by imagining it as one bar that has made a journey along the promenade. Throughout it's journey, the bar has rushed along the straight parts, swerved around lampposts and bins, jumped over the wall here and there, and bounced about wildly inside a looping shelter. Each of the thousands of bars reveal one position along the bar's movement, revealing the traces of this dynamic and cheerful journey. Similarly, calligraphy creates a visible trace of movement that is familiar. The way the pen angle defines the broader and narrower strokes, and the way the speed of the stroke manifests in the smoothness of the line, are comparable to the way the run of bars form a kind of ribbon surface that tracks the length of the bench.

Our initial impressions and research revealed the distinctive character of Littlehampton Seafront. Unusually, the promenade is level with the beach. Without the often seen barriers of sharp level changes and bulky handrails, the connection with the sea is strong. Also, this promenade, unlike many, is not backed by a busy seafront road and rows of facades but stretches between the beach and a green.

Promenades are normally found either by the water or through a park, Littlehampton promenade is both..

City:
Littlehampton

Photographer:
STUDIO WEAVE

Status:
Completed

Website:
http://www.studioweave.com/projects/the-longest-bench-littlehampton/

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