DESIGN NAME: S-Clutch
PRIMARY FUNCTION: S-clutch Street Bench
INSPIRATION: S-clutch bench derives its name from clutch bags, as it draws its inspiration from a stylish icon, a clutch bag and its important attributes to accessorizing and style. S-comes from Shelter, Stray, Street, Sunshine and Space.Despite its size a clutch can be the most important and stylish item of an outfit, in terms of aesthetics, while practically can provide space for all the important things and valuables.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: It is a bench that aspires to add to urban scapes a more colorful and human accent, taking into account the core values of harmonious symbiosis and existence. While it uses a vibrant whimsical color that can be found in a child's room, it is a playful approach to city life and symbiosis which literally has to be taken seriously.
For night illumination, it utilizes sunshine; it incorporates led lighting on the upper aluminium body, which using built-in solar film transmits light at night.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: It is versatile and ergonomic, providing multiple usage by humans and animals, promoting friendly attitudes and a relaxed way of living, moving and relaxing. Pet animals can rest in, be strapped around the anchor, while their owners sit on it, lie back, discuss with other people. Users can park their bicycle, while unprotected animals can rest inside and find shelter from bad weather conditions. During nightime, the incorpated led lighting provides ambience, utilising contemporary and sustainable energy solutions.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: It was designed in 2011 as a project following research in public benches and street furniture. A design competition launched for designing street benches provided the initiative, while the bench not only as a furniture but its importance to agents of action and interaction (human-human), (human-animals) (human-mobility) (human-space) drew our attention.
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PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: It is a product of advanced material technology and NURSS parametric design programs. its structure is made of extruded aluminium, while the main hull is made of 7mm fiberglass in lollipop pink. While transparent it can protect from direct sunrays the pets or unprotected animals that seek shelter inside its hollow body.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: It is anchored and stabilised to ground to deter from removal and relocation. it is easy to fix into place, and it uses current technology in terms of production, package and fixing in place. It respects human and animal existence, and bears in mind passive energy solutions and sustainability. Its main body is 160 mm in length while the upper aluminium hand is 160 in height from ground.
TAGS: Bench, public, parametric, fiberglass, solar energy, photovoltaic, colorful, animals, bicycle
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: It was desinged as a research project for making citylife more humane and sustainable, using current technology.
CHALLENGE: The challenge was to make use of parametric design in order to produce street furniture available to a wider target group and life existence. Parametric design, its flow and curves can then become mainstream and available to public.
ADDED DATE: 2013-02-25 11:40:41
TEAM MEMBERS (2) : Helen Brasinika Head Designer & Project Manager and Anastasia Rokkou, Senior Design Technologist & Renderer
IMAGE CREDITS: Helen Brasinika, 2012.
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