Design proposal for a public bench at Le Centquatre-Paris. A piece exploring body postures, urban culture, and creative appropriation of shared space.
DAVIOUDY
This project explores the relationship between the body and public space through bench design.
At the 104, users engage differently: from elderly people seeking rest to young people who reinvent how seating is used. The bench remains open to interpretation, fostering creativity and personal appropriation. It also reflects the vibrant urban culture of the site, nourished by dance, theater, music, and street arts.
As a typological reference, the “Davioud” bench ensures both comfort and durability. Adapted for flexibility, it combines historical continuity with contemporary public furniture design.
About
The seating project is an interaction between, on the one hand, the public bench as an object and, on the other, urban cultures as a subject.
This proposal is developed around the following aspects:
A. The relationship with the body
My practice often explores how the body relates to space. At the 104, the diversity of postures and gestures reveals multiple ways of inhabiting a bench: from the conventional need for rest, especially for elderly or tired users, to the inventive appropriations of younger generations, who often sit everywhere except on the seat itself. Rather than prescribing use, the bench should remain open to interpretation, encouraging a personal connection between object and body. This flexibility fosters both creativity and inclusivity, while preserving the bench’s primary function as public seating. Even in a context marked by distancing, the tactile and sensual dimension of contact remains central to this project
B. Urban cultures
The 104 is a living ecosystem, animated by dance, theater, street arts, sports, music, and fashion. These practices shape a constantly evolving urban culture that redefines how people come together. The bench aims to channel this collective energy, supporting new ways of sharing public space.
C. Typologies
As a reference, the project draws on the “Davioud” bench from Haussmann’s urban planning. Its simple yet robust structure—steel supports with oak slats—ensures comfort, durability, and historical continuity. Adapted to the needs of the 104, it will remain resistant and easy to move, making it suitable for both everyday use and flexible configurations.