Traveling Benches, part 1

While (partially) stymied on other projects, I decided to begin a set of benches that has been sitting in the back of my mind (and in the back of my shop . . .).  I have two very industrial military metal transportation cases originally used for transporting explosives that are a perfect starting point.

They got me to thinking about the separation that happens within families when military service members are deployed far from home, and what it means to be ‘home’ or ‘away’.  I suppose in a larger sense it also involves when any of us leave our loved ones, either to go get milk down the street or to move cities or countries.

Doorways and entry (or exit) hallways seem to be where these disconnection and re-connections happen often.  We greet folks into our home there and bid them adieu in the same context.  

These benches will be designed for the entryway of a home, specifically as a place for people to pause during the entry and exit of visitors and family members.   Shoes will be taken off and put on here, leftovers handed over, and goodbyes and hellos exchanged.  I’ll use big casters on the benches to emphasize that they are Travelling Benches and that they are involved with the movement of people.

The original paintwork on the cases had lots of interesting stenciled codes and stern instructions (‘CERTIFIED EMPTY’, ‘DO NOT DROP’, etc).  Visually they made the cases seem a little more industrial than I wanted -- perhaps I’d leave them if they weren’t in a home.  I am also repainting the cases a dark grey in place of the military olive green; hopefully this will provoke more of the visual language of ‘travelling suitcase’ than ‘explosive warhead’.

This project has also got me thinking how amazing would it be to design waiting rooms in hospitals.  Where else do we welcome new people into the world and say goodbye to others?