An Urban 'Sofa' in Sweden
John Hill
15. February 2019
Photo: Måns Berg
Forum Square in Uppsala has been revitalized by White arkitekter with a 65-meter-long, double-sided sofa made from 3,500 pieces of a glass-quartz composite that meld to create a contoured landscape.
It's hard not to be seduced by the undulating lines of the "sofa" – a more accurate term than "bench," given how the seating invites people to take a break from shopping and literally lounge across its surfaces. Uppsala, a town of about 170,000, is home to 60 White employees at a branch office just across the river from Forumtorget (Forum Square in Swedish). In a sense they created a place where they – and other residents – want to be, in what happens to be one of the most important public spaces in the city.
Some photos and drawings are below, but visit White arkitekter's profile to see much more of Forumtorget.
The sofa is part of larger improvements that White has made to Forum Square. (Photo: Måns Berg)
The improvements are meant to bring more people to Forum Square. (Photo: Måns Berg)
The design also features armrests and railings for comfort and safety. (Photo: Måns Berg)
Lighting inspired in part by the Northern Lights illuminates the sofa at night through frosted glass insets. (Photo: Måns Berg)
Cross sections with studies of ways people can interact with the furniture. (Drawing: White)
