Benches and urban spaces: Do we need more humanistic care?

As an integral part of urban public space, benches’ design and layout have a profound impact on the quality and social functions of the urban environment. In urban planning and design, benches not only provide people with a place to rest, but also serve as a link between urban culture, social interaction and human behavior. In the design and layout of benches, many factors need to be considered, including ergonomics, environmental atmosphere, social functions, etc., to create a more comfortable, convenient, and interactive urban public space.

Benches should be designed with ergonomics in mind. Ergonomics is a discipline that studies the relationship between people and the work environment. It optimizes the design of products, systems and environments through the study of human body structure, function and behavior. In the design of benches, factors such as the human body's sitting and standing postures and range of activities need to be considered to ensure that long-term sitting and lying down will not cause physical discomfort or fatigue. For example, the width, depth, and height of the seat surface of the bench, as well as the angle and height of the backrest, etc., need to be reasonably designed according to ergonomic principles to provide comfortable sitting posture and support.

Benches should also be designed with the ambience in mind. The environmental atmosphere of urban public spaces includes factors such as light, climate, scenery, etc. These factors will directly affect people's rest experience and social activities. Therefore, in the design of benches, it is necessary to consider the characteristics and needs of the surrounding environment to create a bench design that is in harmony with the surrounding environment. For example, in sunny places, you can design benches with sunshade functions; in places with beautiful landscapes, you can design benches with landscape viewing functions, etc., to enhance the use value and aesthetics of the benches.

Benches should also be designed with social functionality in mind. Benches not only provide a place for rest, but also a place for urban residents to conduct social activities, cultural exchanges and leisure entertainment. Therefore, in the design of benches, it is necessary to consider how to create a more interactive and social design to promote communication and interaction between people. For example, benches with multi-functional seats can be designed to facilitate people to carry out group activities or small performances; benches with communication boards can be designed to facilitate people to leave messages, communicate or play, etc., to meet the needs and preferences of different groups of people.

The design and layout of benches have an important impact on the quality and social functions of urban public spaces. By considering factors such as ergonomics, environmental atmosphere, and social functions, a more comfortable, convenient, and interactive bench design can be created to provide urban residents with a better life experience and social interaction space.