L, S, Mebius benches
The L, S and Mebius benches installed on New Arbat respond to one of Moscow's active urban corridors with a clear sculptural presence. New Arbat is a street of movement, commercial activity and strong architectural edges. In this context, street furniture needs to be durable and practical, but it also has the opportunity to soften the public realm. The benches introduce warmth, curvature and a human-scale rhythm into a setting defined by traffic, facades and pedestrian flow.
The parametric construction gives each bench a strong graphic quality. The repeated wooden ribs create a visual texture that changes as pedestrians move around the object. From the side, the benches read as continuous waves; from the front, they reveal depth and layered structure. This dual reading is important in street environments, where objects are rarely viewed from a single fixed position. They are experienced in motion.
Functionally, the different geometries support different types of rest. Some benches offer longer linear seating, while others create more enclosed or directional moments. This variety allows the street to accommodate individual pauses, informal meetings and short breaks without relying on repetitive standard benches. The result is a public furniture system that contributes to the character of the avenue.
For architects and urban designers, the project is a reminder that public space is shaped by details at the scale of the body. A bench can influence how long people stay, where they gather and how they remember a street. For developers and municipalities, custom furniture of this kind can become part of a place-making strategy, adding recognition and comfort while reinforcing the identity of a renewed urban environment.
