Pimp my Bench

Young people often perceive public spaces as controlled and exclusive, leading to feelings of alienation and unwelcomeness. In response, they form groups that can, in turn, distance themselves from the wider community.

The Bench Project aimed to address this issue by inviting four groups of under-18s to redesign the traditional park bench, enhancing its functionality and reflecting the communities they belong to. Students from Littlebourne, Herne Bay, Canterbury, and Whitstable (where active dispersal orders for teenagers were in place) designed benches that offered recreational, private, music-making, and meeting spaces.

These redesigned benches were placed back in the streets where the young people gathered, and local residents were invited to share their feedback. The process and outcomes were documented in short films created with artist Laura Wyles.