‘Benches’, Katie Walker

We devised the public art strategy and managed the commissions for a series of public seating for the re-developed shopping centres in Leatherhead and St Albans.

We commissioned Katie Walker, a leading Royal College of Art design graduate who responded to the use of both sites with functional sculptural pieces. Guided by her belief that: ‘Timber is our primary natural renewable resource and the most ecologically sound solution is to design with longevity in mind’, Walker designed a new series of oak and steel seating.

The seating is comfortable, robust, easy to clean and maintain. The curved forms subtly evoke the street patterns, while the use of oak reflects the timber framed buildings, some dating back to when St Albans was an important place of pilgrimage and part of England’s pilgrimage network.  Katie Walker’s public seating are contemporary classics which stand the test of time.

We commissioned ‘Benches’ in 2000 and 2002 on behalf of Allied London.