Undulating wooden benches provide versatile public seating on London's Strand

Visitors to a recently pedestrianised public space on the Strand in central London can perch, lounge and relax on sculptural seating designed by architecture firm LDA Design and fabricated by Millimetre.

The bespoke seating was developed as part of LDA Design's project for Westminster Council, which aimed to turn one of London's most congested and polluted streets into a public space with seating for over 700 people.

A 375-metre-long section of the Strand at Aldwych was pedestrianised, with interventions including landscaping, wayfinding and biodiverse planting contributing to the improved civic space.

The project, which features on the shortlist for Dezeen Awards 2025 in the bespoke category, helps to define three new spaces across the site, called the Garden Room, Spectator Edge and Activity Lawn.

These areas function as gathering spaces and relaxation zones for local residents, students at the adjacent Kings College London, and visitors to attractions including Somerset House and the Courtauld Gallery.

The benches' curving, undulating forms introduce a sculptural element that aims to complement the landscaping and helps define the site as a versatile space for relaxation, art and performance.

Each element morphs along its length to include different ergonomic profiles, from tall perches to laid-back loungers. Some sections incorporate backrests, while steel armrests provide spatial definition and improve comfort.

The Garden Room seat provides a gateway to the pedestrianised area outside Somerset House and transitions into the Spectator Edge, which can be used as seating for a multipurpose performance space.

The Activity Lawn seat forms the eastern gateway to the Strand. The curved form transitions from a double-sided bench to a seat with a backrest adjacent to the Kings College building.

Each of the three 35-metre-long seats was manufactured by Millimetre using 27 cubic metres of Accoya timber, a modified wood chosen for its durability and stability.

The complex forms were achieved using 3D computer modelling and a seven-axis Kuka robot was employed alongside traditional woodworking techniques to carve the unique components.

The timber is overlaid onto bespoke steel frames fabricated in sections using approximately 2,872 individual parts that can be replicated and replaced if they become damaged.

All three of the seats conceal electrical cabinets and reinforced concrete structures required to mitigate hostile vehicle attacks.

The cast-in-situ concrete elements were 3D scanned along with the ground plane and existing trees to ensure the seats could be fabricated to within a 10 millimetre tolerance.

Other examples of innovative public seating projects include designer Paul Cocksedge's looping timber bench in Hong Kong and a range of concrete street furniture by Raw Edges that is designed to look like armchairs.

The images are courtesy of LDA Design.

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