Installation
A temporary and adjustable street bench, placed among banks that are a permanent fixture in the public space.The seating element is connected to the roof of the installation, which determines the amount of light that enters the cabin. The part of the bench that is not occupied is slid outwards by the user, which creates another seating space outside. Visitors decide on the duration of their encounter by picking one of three wooden lats of different lengths. The longest slat stands for the longest-lasting conversation, even though visitors won’t know what constitutes ‘long’ or ‘short’ exactly.
Context
The installation was commissioned by Van Eyck Mirror, the project bureau of the Van Eyck Academy. There was a need to develop a movable instrument for the city and its residents to maintain an ongoing dialogue about various topics, including giving inhabitants a say in the city’s cultural policy.
In collaboration
Milan Meeuse, Van Eyck Mirror, Jan van Eyck academie and Ron Bernstein (Heimo Lab)