Artikel 25, a park bench for the homeless, designed and constructed by Anton Åsberg and Douglas Velasquez. (The picture shows a prototype of the bench on a scale 1:2)
Anton Åsberg says that when they started to look at parks and the use of park benches in public spaces, they were struck by the exclusionary quality in modern design. Armrests on benches and art works in street corners are used to prevent people from lying down to sleep on park benches and in public spaces.
“We say that public spaces are for all, but we do not really mean everybody. You may use them, but not in any way you want and not all of them. We find this to be totally bizarre.”
They decided to do the opposite, that is to create products with an inclusive design, something that can be used to lie down on and to sleep on, quite simply. Their parch bench has two functions and two surfaces and the flat surface can be folded to be like a roof over the curved surface.
“We have encountered a lot of resistance; people were critical to attempts to solve the problem of homelessness. For this reason, we masked our fight and stopped saying that the bench was for the homeless.”
Anton is now planning for a Master’s degree at the University of Arts, Crafts and Design and he says that it has been very rewarding to work closely with a big, renowned company and to be able to use their resources and muscles
“I feel that I have found my place and that I have something to contribute with here; I like to criticise and to go against social norms.”
“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25.)
Text: Douglas Öhrbom
Photo: Marie Hägg
Photo Familjär: Henrik Lunderbye and Hugo Netinder
Photo swift: TT
For more information, please contact:
Fredrik Palmebäck, student, Industrial design programme, University of Gävle
Phone: 073-723 87 20
Anton Åsberg, student, Industrial design programme, University of Gävle
Phone: 076-170 40 21
Helena Edqvist, student, Industrial design programme, University of Gävle
Phone: 070-223 52 89
Annika Viding, programme director, Industrial design programme, University of Gävle Phone: