Life is too short to be sitting on an uncomfortably hard bench— most would rather be spending it on a nice leather chair instead. But what if you could bring that bum-conforming comfort to a wood bench? Heck — how would you even start…no pillows allowed? Such is the premise behind the BEND Bench.
Created by Mexican architect and designer Ricardo Garza Marcos, The Bend Bench aims to change people’s perceptions of the typical wood bench: instead of using a single piece of—or planks of—hardwood, Ramos adds a series of vertical cuts to make the bench more pliable…not unlike the sole of a Nike Free running shoe.
After testing different wood types in his development process, Marcos settled on the Montezuma bald cypress tree (locally known as the ‘Ahuehuete’) for its combined sturdiness and flexibility. He experimented with different cuts, working out the proper spacing and depth before settling on the bench’s final design.
The finished Bend Bench uses 87 cuts spaced evenly across a 3-inch thick piece of Ahuehuete wood with two grooves on either end to hold the steel frame. While at first glance the bench looks like any ordinary flat surface, sitting on it causes the Bend Bench to cushion itself around your tired rump.
There’s no telling how long the bench will continue to bend over time—such as if it was placed in a public space—but you can’t deny that it is indeed a unique take on the classic design. Find more on the Bend Bench over at Ricardo Garza Marcos.
