Hasta La Ideas

It’s like a hobo mecca: A rambling, 2,000-foot-long bench sprawling across the shore of a seaside community. Designed by UK-based architecture firm Studio Weave, The Longest Bench wends across the landscape of Littlehampton, transforming at points from bench to fence to art installation. Fully loaded it can seat 800 (which we estimate to mean it can sleep 200-300 hobos).

The slat construction of the bench was inspired both by old-school boardwalks–and jewelry:

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.

The slats are all made from reclaimed lumber, and the design can, of course, be expanded infinitely. Check out Studio Weave’s in-depth explanation of the design here, and see more photos of it here.

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