RE:BENCH
This was a design I submitted for the re:bench competition, organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority in Singapore. I chanced upon the competition online, and realised after some reading, that some of the interesting benches I've seen around town were products of its predecessor.
I was drawn to this opportunity to shape our public spaces in the same way, and decided to throw my design into the proverbial hat.
Overview
This competition revolved around repurposing wooden planks used in the old National. The aim was to commemorate the former National Stadium, while injecting vibrancy into our public spaces. Thus, while considering its use and functionality, I had to also think of the story and way my design would be perceived in a public setting.
Core Concept
Through their time at the former National stadium, the planks had developed deep lines and scars on the surface. While we were given the option to sand and polish these ‘imperfections’ away, I thought of them as wrinkles and scars that were a testament to their years of service. I decided that whatever my design was at the end, I wanted it to showcase these ‘wrinkles’ that imbued the material with so much character.
Ideation
Extrapolating from the ‘wrinkle’ element, I decided on using the image of hands. Our hands are the most used tools in our lives, and as such, prone to weathering and scars of their own. I felt this was the perfect analogy to showcase years of work and contribution. Thus I started exploring different types of hand shapes and signs that could convey the message I wanted to put across.
Concept Refinement
To me, for the design to be considered a bench and not just an art piece, it has to carry a certain amount of functionality. This helped narrow down the different options I had. The open and slightly cupped palms allowed for a generous platform on which to rest and recline on. The image of the hands in this form is open and inviting, suggesting the act of giving or providing. I likened this image to symbolise the handing over of reins from the former National Stadium, to the young and new one, resulting in its name: Hand Over
3D modeling and rendering
With the plank dimensions provided in the brief, I was able to plan out my design with a fair degree of accuracy. At this stage I was also thinking of production methods and how feasible it was to create this design. To a certain extent I was hoping that a design with a clear way to manufacture would help in the selection process.
Results
A few months after submission, I was informed by a URA representative to that my design was selected as one of the winning designs. The fabrication took awhile, but eventually installation of all the winning designs was completed. A prize presentation ceremony was held in conjunction with the opening of URA’s AUDE space at URA centre. It was a good chance to speak to the other designers and talk about their ideas and concepts.
Summary
In total URA produced 3 x 14 designs, which were then installed at various locations around Singapore. They are dotted around Marina Bay, Singapore Sports Hub and the URA centre itself. Overall I really had fun with this experience and it was exciting to be part of the process of shaping our public space.