by Brianna Crandall — April 2, 2014—High-design site furniture manufacturer Landscape Forms has introduced STRATA, an innovative collection of benches and tables and the first Landscape Forms product specifically designed to employ the company’s proprietary MeldStone Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) technology, which is said to raise the bar on the potential of cast concrete site furniture for a variety of outdoor public social spaces.
Created in collaboration with industrial designer Jess Sorel, STRATA takes advantage of MeldStone’s capability for casting thin, strong forms that are structurally robust and heavy while visually light and fluid. Richard Heriford, President of Landscape Forms, explains, “The introduction of STRATA celebrates Landscape Forms’s acquisition of Meld, the exciting incorporation of our MeldStone technology, and our expanded manufacturing presence in the U.S.”
STRATA is distinguished by strong horizontal planes and large flat surfaces. The angularity where these intersect makes it come alive, says the company. Elements include a straight bench with and without back, a backless angled bench, and an asymmetric six-sided table, all of which can be positioned in multiple ways to create interesting geometric structures.
The bench seat is chamfered: thick at the center and progressively thinner as it expands toward the edges, and faceted where angles come together. Facets are obvious in some places, subtle in others, says Landscape Forms. A steel underframe with legs spans the length of the 84″ bench like a bridge, and bolts invisibly to the underside. Extending the plane past the base at the ends makes the seat appear to float, adds the company. The top and seat of the backed bench are a single casting. A cutout in the bench back breaks up the long plane and provides views through to the landscape.
The asymmetry of key elements adds interest and utility, says Landscape Forms. Right and left angled benches provide subtle corners, so people who are conversing can sit at angles to one another. Straight and angled benches play off each other. Benches can be placed end-to-end, or the end of one bench can be positioned against the back of another. Tables can be arranged in multiples to create cell-like structures. In addition to their obvious function, the tables help define seating relationships and break up space, and can serve as additional informal seating areas, adds the company.
Benches are offered with optional steel arms and skate stops. Steel parts are Pangard powdercoated.
Designer Jess Sorel explains, “Our goal was to find a gesture for STRATA that speaks to serenity and contemplation. The pieces have a certain ambiguity about them. Their use is interpreted, as opposed to being absolutely proscriptive, which opens up experimentation for designers and planners.”
STRATA was engineered to create a sense of place and to offer an aesthetically pleasing and configurable arrangement for corporate, educational and healthcare campuses as well as parks, museum and conference center exteriors, and other public social spaces. Its clean modern simplicity can complement multiple architectures and spaces.
Founded in 1969, Landscape Forms offers integrated collections of high-design site furniture and advanced LED lighting. The Landscape Forms U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with sales representatives throughout North America, the United Kingdom, Southern Europe, the United Arab Emirates and Asia.
Landscape Forms collaborates with renowned industrial designers and consultancies, landscape architects, and architects to design and develop integrated collections of products that address emerging needs and help create a sense of place. Landscape Forms has an installed base of products around the world. Clients include municipalities, transit centers, corporate, college and healthcare campuses; and familiar brand leaders such as Boeing, Cisco Systems, Disney, Sprint, American Airlines, Herman Miller and Nike.
See also the Landscape Forms ad on FMLink.
