Working with various departments various departments including Transport Planning, Highways Engineers, DDA officers and the Met police’s Crime Prevention Design Advisor, we designed a seat which provided:
– A safer place to sit: the recesses (front and back) allow the public to store bags behind their legs out of reach of opportunistic thieves; while the lack of slots and crevices deters those wishing to stash drugs.
– A cleaner place to sit: there are no flat surfaces or crevices where litter usually accumulates. The surface is specially treated to repel dirt, water, graffiti and fly-posters.
– A more inclusive place to sit: the gentle undulations provide seating at different heights offering the perfect perch for every passer-by. Observations have shown that the Camden bench encourages more seat sharing than other, more traditional, designs.
– Ease of relocation: the bench needs no anchoring; built-in lifting eyes allow easy re-siting by truck crane (e.g. away from problem areas).
Awards: Keep Britain Tidy best practice, Design Council / Home Office approved to design out crime, Home Office approved for counter-terrorism use as a vehicle blocker.
Client – Camden Borough Council
