Guatemala City Benches
A re-investment in public space
2009–2010
Introduction
Snøhetta worked with Fundación Crecer of Guatemala City to design a bench for use in public spaces within the Corredor Central "Aurora Cañas." Fundación Crecer, working with Urbanistica, the planning arm of the municipality, has conceived of the Corredor project to foster pedestrian activity and a re-investment in public space within Guatemala City.
Snøhetta's bench design creates informal social gathering spaces and aims to promote a lively street life. Inspired by the geometric forms celebrated within the indigenous cultures in Guatemala, the benches are poured in concrete, textured with granite aggregate and local marble dust.
Technical details
The design includes three variations of groove patterns which will be the site for colorful tile mosaics created by Guatemalan artists. Fundación Crecer was provided with the sketch design for this bench and has full rights to carry out the production and placement of the benches in public spaces throughout Guatemala.
Bench prototypes were completed in 2009, and Snøhetta visited Guatemala City in December of 2009 to collaborate with the artists on the mosaic designs.
