Anyone wandering along Bencoolen Street can now rest on a new set of playful benches that are also enticing for art lovers, stargazers and perhaps parkour enthusiasts.
Paddle Pop-coloured dogs, a gable-roofed house with no walls and a roller coaster-inspired loop are among the six quirky benches that brighten the new-look Bencoolen Street.
Six students and alumni from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) each came up with his or her own twist on the ubiquitous four-legged wooden bench. They are winners of a design competition organised by Nafa last year.
The benches were funded by the URA under its Our Favourite Place programme, a scheme that aims to enliven public spaces.
1) HAUS
By Ms Kwek Sin Yee, 39, alumna of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) who teaches at the school
What: Much like a kampung house verandah, where family members hang out, Ms Kwek hopes those who use her house-shaped bench will socialise or stargaze within its roofless frame. The square bench can also be a performance or installation space.
2) LOOP BENCH
By Mr Huang Yeren, 25, recent Nafa graduate
What: This long, singular bench loops overhead like a roller coaster track. Users can face one another with some shade over them. The loop could also be a fun challenge for parkour enthusiasts.
3) WHEELER
By exchange student Chanya Limpasitipon, 22, from Thailand
What: It is hard to miss this unconventional bench that has separate seats and a single bright yellow coiled frame. Ms Chanya, a fourth-year industrial design student from the School of Architecture and Design at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, took note of how bicycles are designed.
4) DOGGO & KITTY CAT
By Ms Belinda Gan (pictured), 20, recent Nafa graduate
What: Ms Gan's benches portray how pets behave. Her two "dogs" look as if they are sniffing each other, while the "cat" is on its back, looking for a tummy rub.
5) FAMILIAR STRANGERS
By Mr Melvin Ong, 32, Nafa alumnus who runs a design consultancy
What: This series of three curved benches of different heights and lengths is Mr Ong's homage to the horse bench - a basic flat board fitted with four legs. The award-winning designer, who teaches part-time at Nafa, hopes that the benches will encourage communication among strangers.
6) BRENCH
By exchange student Duangjai Lertwatthanamongkol, 22, from Thailand
What: The fourth-year industrial design student from the School of Architecture and Design at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi modelled her benches after the shadows cast by the trees along Bencoolen Street.
Adapted from, and written by Natasha Ann Zachariah for The Straits Times