Context

Benchmark Street Furniture designed, manufactured and installed a series of bespoke hardwood timber benches and picnic tables for the University of Essex Southend Campus as part of a wider public realm scheme.

Project detail

The project required a tailored approach with seating designed to integrate precisely within the campus landscape and respond to the constraints of the surrounding architecture and planter layouts.

Several of the benches were manufactured in extended lengths of up to 6m creating strong linear seating elements that sit neatly within and alongside existing planter walls. These longer units required careful design and engineering to ensure structural integrity durability and comfort while maintaining a clean, uninterrupted visual appearance. The combination of robust metal subframes and high-quality hardwood timber allowed the benches to withstand heavy use in a busy university environment while complementing the natural materials used throughout the landscape scheme.

Matching picnic tables were also supplied.

Outcome

Installed within tight spatial confines the bespoke seating solutions demonstrate Benchmark’s ability to deliver complex made-to-measure designs that respond to both functional and architectural requirements. The completed installation provides flexible high-quality outdoor seating for students and staff enhancing the usability and character of the Southend Campus public spaces.