Why Architects Shouldn't Design Outdoor Furnishings

Everything from Steven Holl lately seems to evoke 'porosity' not just in concept buy also in name. A new furniture addition to this is the 'Porosity Bench' - seen a number of places recently on the web. This prototype was destined for Design Miami/Basel where it was shown to the masses. It's like a little snippet of Holl's Architecture in miniature... that you can sit on...




:: images via Dezeen

There's a long history of cross-over architecture/furniture contributions - some good, some bad. I file this fussy, overdone, and brittle example into the latter... 2 weeks in a outdoor public spaces and it's toast. Plus it doesn't look terribly comfortable either... style yes, substance, maybe? I guess it is a reflection of architectural trends as well.

For some other examples follow the link from Architectnophila had a recent post of Architect-design furniture, mostly focusing on indoor varieties. There are also some new forms of outdoor furnishings designed by Landscape Architects... time to do some digging and see how these fare.