Skystation Benche Ea Litšoantšo by Peter Newman

Skystation Benche Ea Litšoantšo by Peter Newman is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 Moputso oa Silevera oa A' Design Award in Moralo wa Fenitjhara ya Seterata Competition Category.

SileveraFenitjhara ya Seterata· 2023

Skystation Benche Ea Litšoantšo

by Peter Newman

Client: Peter Newman Studio

Moputso oa Silevera oa A' Design Award Winner in Fenitjhara ya Seterata Category

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Colors

The Design

About Skystation Benche Ea Litšoantšo

Skystation ke setsoantso se kopanetsoeng se fanang ka litulo tsa sechaba. Likarolo tsa mosebetsi li etselitsoe ho lumellana le sebōpeho sa motho ea lutseng fatše le ho khothalletsa ho nahanisisa ka leholimo. Sebaka seo e fanang ka sona se tšoana le seo NASA e se bitsang Neutral Body Posture, e leng sebōpeho seo 'mele o khutlelang ho sona ha o se na tšusumetso ea matla a khoheli. Skystation e fana ka monyetla oa ho khefutsa, ho thuisa le ho buisana ka har'a sebaka sa sechaba. E susumetsoa ke maikutlo a kajeno a sebopeho se latela mosebetsi. E na le phello ea tšohanyetso ea ho etsa hore lipuisano pakeng tsa batho bao u sa ba tsebeng e be tse ke keng tsa qojoa.

The Recognition

About the Moputso oa Silevera oa A' Design Award

Skystation Benche Ea Litšoantšo ke mohapi oa Moputso oa Silevera oa A' Design Award, kananelo e hlomphehang haholo e fuoang meralo e phahameng ka ho fetesisa, e ntle le e tsosang maikutlo. Bahapi ba Silevera ke mesebetsi e khanyang haholo le e nang le boqapi bo ikhethang e bontšang botsebi, talenta le bohlale ba baqapi ba eona. Skystation Benche Ea Litšoantšo e lebelletsoe ho ba mosebetsi o motle, oa mohlala, o nang le boprofeshenale bo bonahalang le mehopolo e mecha e tebileng. Moralo ona o hapileng Moputso oa Silevera oa A' Design Award ke mohopolo o hlokomelehang haholo le o ratoang o tlisang molemo mme o sutumelletsang meeli ea bonono, mahlale, moralo le theknoloji. Skystation Benche Ea Litšoantšo ke mosebetsi oo batho ba bangata ba o lakatsang, o tsosang litakatso, o tlisang maikutlo a matle le o tsosetsang ho makala le ho hlolla.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Skystation is an interactive sculpture that also provides some public seating. The contours of the work are designed to fit the reclining human form and encourage contemplation of the sky.
The seating it provides is similar to what NASA calls Neutral Body Posture, which is the shape the body returns to when free from the influence of gravity. Skystation creates an opportunity for pause, reflection and interaction within the public realm. Conversations between strangers are almost inevitable.
Dimensions & Packaging: 4100mm x 4100mm x 675mm
Tags: Skystation, sculpture, bench, public art, installation, seating
Production Technology: Cast aluminium bronze, brushed satin finish.
Six segments were sand cast and precision cut, to align together on a stainless steel sub-structure. Assembled together on site.
Design Challenge: To realise the design as a permanent installation required production in a material that would last a long time and was in keeping with the aesthetic of the work.
Aluminium bronze is a material used in the marine environment due to its resistance to corrosion and seems fitting in redeveloped wharf of London.
A golden disk also has a symbolic association with the sun and the sky going back to antiquity.
The colour introduces a warm tone among the cool steel that characterises the district.
Research: Real world research was done with life size seating profiles, tested by a large number of volunteers, to be as comfortable as possible to a wide range of people lying down.
The chosen profile was then spun through 360 degrees and refined into a sculpture form.
Fibreglass prototypes of the finished sculpture were installed in various public locations. This has shown the positive impact of introducing an interactive sculpture into the pubic realm. It appeals to all ages and serves as a place-making element and encourages social interaction.
Inspiration: Inspired by the LC4 chaise-longue, by Le Corbusier, Perriand and Jeanneret and the modernist idea of form follows function.
Looking upwards is inherently optimistic, and something akin to thinking about the future. Cognitive research suggests we do our best thinking lying down.
Project Duration: Permanent installation at Canary Wharf, London.
Operation Flow: The sculpture can be used for sitting and lying down by up to 12 people. Although designed with adults in mind, children find the most inventive ways to interact with the shape.
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Peter Newman, Skystation 2022
Image #2: Photographer Peter Newman, Skystation 2022
Image #3: Photographer Peter Newman, Skystation 2022
Image #4: Photographer Peter Newman, Skystation 2022
Image #5: Photographer Google Landsat / Copernicus, Canary Wharf 2022