Urban digital, solar and phone connect bench

Tolerie Forezienne and its brand TF urban has been designing and manufacturing street furniture for 10 years, working with more than twenty designers. She has been participating in the Saint-Etienne Design Biennale since 2008, and again this year thanks to the “test bench” approach, she offers three new products to the public: Nomad, Banki, The Smallest Stand in the World.

The “Banki” project was born from the observation of uses and practices in the urban space and how the furniture can become a vehicle for social interaction. One of the motivations behind this project was to give back to the public bench its essential roles, namely to create a space where people meet, discuss or sit together.

“Banki” consists of two types of seat: a “straight bench” and a “curved bench”.
In order to integrate in all types of spaces (street, square, etc.), the project was conceived in a spirit of modularity and adaptability. Easy to install, all elements are independent and allow multiple layouts according to the needs and constraints related to the location.

Different elements can complement the configuration chosen:
– for the straight bench version – two models of slightly raised and inclined backrests of different lengths providing comfort for two or four people,
– for the straight bench and curved bench version – a tablet allowing users to lean, eat or work.

The positioning of the different elements can be modulated by the openings of the seat. They also facilitate the maintenance and rapid evacuation of rainwater.
“Banki” has a USB charging station for digital media (smartphone, tablet). The power supply is made autonomously thanks to a mast equipped with a solar panel. The choice of colors was based on a composition creating a rupture between the seat and the various modules that complement it. However, the color palette may vary indefinitely.

This project offers the qualities required in terms of comfort and space, due to a good depth of seating and the possibility of being used by a large number of people.