stockholm field office: mirror bench with a view

‘mirror bench’ by stockholm field office

swedish architectural practice stockholm field office (SFO) has recently completed a spatial installation for outdoor nightclub trädgården in stockholm. situated below a large highway on the southern fringe of inner city stockholm, the overhead structures bridge cars, metro trains, cyclists and pedestrians, and are the most striking feature in this area, matched only by the spaces created underneath. so, when SFO was asked to design and construct an installation for the club, they wanted to focus on these external spaces and enhance them in a low-cost and efficient way.

the bench in use

the result is ‘mirror bench’, which has been placed at the base of one of the concrete arcs carrying the viaduct overhead. the seat has been made purposely too deep to encourage individuals to lie down and linger. above, the mirror extends upwards at an angle along the span of the overpass, pulling the surrounding views into the bench and putting the visitor in the centre of it all.

the folding surface creates several layers of reflection. depending on the angle of observation, this provides perspectives of the spaces outside, of people that are close by, and on occasion a view of yourself from a third-person perspective, simultaneously enveloping these views into each other.

the construction of the design uses a wooden framework that carries mirror-styrene sheets mounted on OSB boards. the bench was built separately from the suspended structure, weighing about 300 kg and secured by six, cargo straps. it took five people and three days to complete. the ‘mirror bench’ was built with the help of frederik andersson and emili rejsjö.

a view upwards of the mirror extension which angles along the span of the overpass