I'm not sure what's going on with Ottawa's Integrated Street Furniture Program. That section of their website doesn't seem to have been updated for a while. (Perhaps most of the efforts are being concentrated on Lansdowne?) Technically contracts should be awarded by now and the installation should start in July 2011. In the mean time I found some interesting bench options for Ottawa because they really need an update!
Benches along the Rideau RiverImagine having Tititkaka benched (design by by Naoto Fukasawa for B & B Italia) along the Rideau river with a redesigned landscape.
Or a series of Valencia benches (designed by Jose Gandia and Pablo Girones for Gandia Blasco) all along Sparks street. They're a lot sexier than the ones that are there right now. But of course you can't change the benches without changing the whole street (new stores, new façade, new vibe, etc.). It's looking old and tired right now.
Benches on Spark Street
Some portions of Sparks street are the perfect location for Astral benches designed by Per Borre. I love how they wrap around and give more of an opportunity for people to talk which is very fitting for Ottawa people because from my own experience , people are very much into talking to strangers just cause. So why not have furniture that fits the personality of the population. 
The last one looks interesting, but the first two look like tailbone torture devices. Benches should first be comfortable and then be visually interesting.
ReplyDeleteAny of these would count as a serious step up. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete