L’Envol — public bench for the city of Tournai, Belgium.
A blank sheet folded like a paper airplane invites you on an introspective journey, eyes turned toward the sky…
Sit down, forget your screens, and enjoy the moment.
Sit down, forget your screens, and enjoy the moment.
Relax !
The ambition was to offer multiple postures: sitting like on a sofa, semi-reclining like a deckchair, or lying down completely, always naturally facing the sky. The seat evolves progressively thanks to an oblique layout in the folded metal sheet. Designed so that everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, can settle comfortably in their own way.
Its extraordinary dimensions create zones of intimacy and comfort, allowing users to drift into contemplation undisturbed. The raised ends act as screens, reinforcing a feeling of privacy and safety.
The all-white finish prevents the seating from overheating in the sun.
The all-white finish prevents the seating from overheating in the sun.
Paper airplane concept
What theme for a bench in an urban environment? And what makes people sit in the city?
Strolling. The idea was to offer a positive experience, a break from formality and standardisation, allowing imagination to express itself during this moment of wandering. An oasis of well-being in an urban desert.
Strolling. The idea was to offer a positive experience, a break from formality and standardisation, allowing imagination to express itself during this moment of wandering. An oasis of well-being in an urban desert.
Thanks to the city of Tournai for supporting this positive and altruistic initiative, at a time when anti-homeless systems are gradually turning our urban landscapes into military-like environments.
Deconstructed polygonal form
A double challenge:
To propose a complex, atypical and exclusive form while keeping construction processes simple and affordable. Folded steel quickly became the obvious solution. The project was designed according to available production capacities: Walcarius (Mouscron), with the expertise to cut, handle and fold 6 × 2 m steel sheets. A delicate metal structure resting on a lightweight wooden substructure.
To propose a complex, atypical and exclusive form while keeping construction processes simple and affordable. Folded steel quickly became the obvious solution. The project was designed according to available production capacities: Walcarius (Mouscron), with the expertise to cut, handle and fold 6 × 2 m steel sheets. A delicate metal structure resting on a lightweight wooden substructure.
Structural challenge
With a total weight of 800 kg to be distributed solely on the joists, creativity was required to design the eight legs while preserving visual lightness. Perforations also helped meet strict weight tolerances.
Perforations
A tribute to the city’s industrial textile past, inspired by fabric mesh patterns.
Perforations also provide long-distance transparency, lighten the structure and improve user safety.
Perforations also provide long-distance transparency, lighten the structure and improve user safety.
Poem
A blank sheet, even folded, had to convey a message… but which one?
The answer emerged during a meeting with the Tournai Arts Commission and IDETA, when our attention turned to Violaine Lison, a renowned local poet. With just a few words, she contextualised the project : L’Envol, the steel sheet, and the river Scheldt.
The answer emerged during a meeting with the Tournai Arts Commission and IDETA, when our attention turned to Violaine Lison, a renowned local poet. With just a few words, she contextualised the project : L’Envol, the steel sheet, and the river Scheldt.
