The Playful Bench

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The Playful Bench

YEAR

2011

New playful bench in Copenhagen

The first interactive bench
in the world invites you to play,
move and experience
the urban space in a new way. A bench which changes
color and pattern
as you pass by,
has sprung up in
the middle of Copenhagen’s ‘Islands
Brygge’.
The bench is situated at the
newly restored urban space above the underground parking facility in Leifsgade,
Island Brygge in Copenhagen. The idea for the interactive element arose when
the Municipality of Copenhagen had to restore the urban space after completing
a two year building process of an underground parking facility.

Copenhagen based architectural
office MAPT is behind the concept and development of the bench. At nightfall it
lights up like a playful and poetic element between the new playground
and football pitch. The vision of an
urban space which communicates has
become reality in collaboration with
interaction designer Sune Petersen.

"We've been fascinated
by urban spaces that
communicate with people,
for a long time. As a starting point, we chose something
that was already out there, the benches, and then made one of them come to
life. When people walk past
the interactive bench,
it lights up and lures
with play." says
MAPT.

'The playful bench' is a classic Copenhagen bench, which in this case, to
give the colors and patterns a perfect background, is untreated oak instead of
the traditional painted green. Through technology it is brought to life and
engages in dialogue with people who pass by.

Three
games – for both children and adults
The bench has three different games. One game is a
painting game. You paint colors on the bench without using actual paint but
simply by moving your hand around on the bench. When the bench is left alone it
displays the ‘paintings’ which have been made. These ‘paintings’ will also be
displayed on the bench’s own facebook profile.

The second game requiresmorephysicalactivity.
Each board on the bench is lit up by a flashing bar code. The faster you run
past the bench the more acceleration will be displayed on each board.

The last game is primarily for adults, since it requires patience. When you
sit down on the bench, you will see different light particles curiously
approaching where you sit. They come closer and closer, and when they hit you
they create a sea of light.
'The playful bench' can be explored every day when darkness falls, and is
active daily from 5 pm to 10 pm.
The urban space where the bench can be found is situated in Leifsgade on
the stretch between Bergthoragade and Gunløgsgade.
______________________________________________________________________________________

Photo: Lars Engelgaar Photography, Lars Engelgaar, tel.:+45 3138 8001, mail@larsengelgaar.com

For more information please contact: MAPT, Mads Møller, tel.: +45 6128 0012,
moller@mapt.dk

Collaboration
partner: Sune Petersen.
Client:
Københavns Kommune