Year
Client
Role
Client
Role
Can our streetscapes be a place where
people feel encouraged to spend time?
people feel encouraged to spend time?
Highlights
Space and comfort for multiple activities
Robust for outdoor conditions
Hidden attachment points for safety
Easy installation and adaptable parts
Space and comfort for multiple activities
Robust for outdoor conditions
Hidden attachment points for safety
Easy installation and adaptable parts
ADA compliant design
DESCRIPTION
Titled Maneo, named after the Latin word for “to stay”. The seating system offers a modular assembly of chairs and tables, with seats that swivel 360 degrees. It rethinks public seating in New York City, which is often linear and restrictive, offering few opportunities to eat, work, or simply turn to a friend and chat. It’s not uncommon to see people contorting their bodies to share a meal or simply make eye contact. The system can be configured for sidewalks or plazas, with or without backrests, and is thoughtfully designed for easy installation and durability in the urban environment. It is meant to strike a balance between robust city infrastructure and the comfort of refined interior furniture.
As quoted in his 1972 book The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, William Whyte said, “Throughout the city, we can vastly increase the amount of useful space for people—with more plazas, more street space, more nooks and small oases; and for merchants and businessmen as well as everyone else...there’d be more of what gives the city its edge; more schmoozing, more picnicking, more kooks and screwballs...and there’d be a place to sit.”
Titled Maneo, named after the Latin word for “to stay”. The seating system offers a modular assembly of chairs and tables, with seats that swivel 360 degrees. It rethinks public seating in New York City, which is often linear and restrictive, offering few opportunities to eat, work, or simply turn to a friend and chat. It’s not uncommon to see people contorting their bodies to share a meal or simply make eye contact. The system can be configured for sidewalks or plazas, with or without backrests, and is thoughtfully designed for easy installation and durability in the urban environment. It is meant to strike a balance between robust city infrastructure and the comfort of refined interior furniture.
As quoted in his 1972 book The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, William Whyte said, “Throughout the city, we can vastly increase the amount of useful space for people—with more plazas, more street space, more nooks and small oases; and for merchants and businessmen as well as everyone else...there’d be more of what gives the city its edge; more schmoozing, more picnicking, more kooks and screwballs...and there’d be a place to sit.”
This project was meant to situate itself within this framing. Can urban furniture not only provide refuge from walking, but also build a place where people feel encouraged to spend time?