Battery Park: Draw up a Chair
New York City's Battery Conservancy and NYC Parks Competition, 2012. Solo-Entry

As a place where once ships would come and go, the Battery Park is also the site in New York City where immigrants would arrive, and stay, often reuniting with people who shared the same language and culture. They arrived alone, or in small groups, often carrying nothing more than a bag upon which they could sit or rest. And then they would move on. 

Ben is a simplified bench design for the Battery Park that can be reconfigured for individual or group use. Ben’s simplicity takes inspiration from the suitcases that tired immigrants lined up and rested upon. The modular approach takes inspiration from the travelers themselves, who would come together in lines, and split apart as individuals. The two types of bench designs allow for flexible arrangement in straight and curved rows. It is an interlocking system, inspired by the simplicity of children’s toys. Ben comes with an optional, longer element, which would acquire the function of a low and a high table, or even a storage area. These elements would provide a larger range of activities, from picnics to impromptu gatherings. 

The design is focused on powder-coated recycled aluminum, which could be created from a single sheet, minimizing waste and reducing cost. The perforated seat allows ventilation and drainage, decreases the use of material and reduces weight, making them easier to move around the site. Ben would provide a welcome resting place for individuals quietly integrating himself into the action across the lawn.