Innovative Duraply Plywood Bench Takes Center Stage in London

The “Double Bench” is one of ten new benches to be found in the city of London for its 2018 Festival of Architecture. The bench has been made using plywood from Garnica’s Durable range.

Garnica and James Latham, the official UK distributor, worked with the London Festival of Architecture to supply the plywood panels used to create an innovative and eye-catching bench. Duraply plywood was the material chosen for this project. This poplar timber product is sourced from sustainable plantations in Europe and modified with an innovative treatment to give the panel outstanding strength and durability for outdoor use, even in the most adverse weather conditions.

Designed by Mills Turner and manufactured by Monarch Joinery Limited, the bench is the result of a design competition organised in 2018 by the London Festival of Architecture (City of London Corporation) and Cheapside Business Alliance.

Christened the “Double Bench”, it is made from a series of curved plywood pieces screwed onto a number of steel bars with bolts on each end. The outline of the bench follows the natural curve of the human body when seated and can be as long or as short as desired, depending on where it is to be installed.

The technique used for building this wooden bench is highly innovative and functional because it provides extremely easy assembly and/or disassembly. Transport is also made easy given the flat-pack nature of the components. Furthermore, the Duraply plywood panels from Garnica offer excellent durability in demanding weather conditions.

A total of ten benches will be designed by brilliant up-and-coming architects and designers in London, which will go on to become a gift to help this city remain an outstanding place to live, work and visit.