Alexandra Sonnemans
+31(0)619411178hello@alexesoleil.com
website under construction
During the one-week workshop we explored and expanded the concept of a bench, together with students and the local community. It is the very ubiquity of the public bench, its presence in our consciousness as an archetype and its representation of urban life which led us to propose the public bench as a common – serving as an object for intercultural dialogue, on form, meaning and use.
We went on-site to physically mark the bench, its size and directions. Enlarging the gesture resulted in a 35-meter long bench that accentuates potential future routes between the two neighbourhoods, and that activates an unused area in the middle of Luchtbal. With the bench, we occupied a piece of public space and claimed for more dynamic and interactive common spaces outside.
By using a simple modular system and a detailed manual of construction everybody could be involved in building and extending the bench.
International Design Workshop Week IDW2020
Type: Teaching
Where: University of Antwerp, Antwerpen Luchtbal
Tutors: rotative studio (Alexandra Sonnemans and Caterina Viguera)
Method: On-Site Explorations, *developed by Alexandra Sonnemans and Caterina Viguera (within rotative studio)
Students: Annelien Michielsen, Anthony Collin, Christophe Demarbaix, Dana Renders, Emma Scheers, Gerben Van Wauwe, Ine Vanden Bergh, Jasmien de Hoon, Jolien Hendricx, Julie Tyberghien, Liesbeth Broothaers, Charlotte De Reys, Nabina Follong, Noémie de Oliveira, Robin Peeters, Stien Aerts, Tim Verlinden