BENKERT BÄNKE: sustainable benches made of durable stainless steel

In architecture, benches serve as important accents and as a place to sit and linger. They enhance the quality of places. However, in order for them to fulfill their function in the long term and without much maintenance, they must be durable and also meet sustainability criteria. BENKERT BÄNKE shows what the bench of the future will look like.

The choice of benches concerns both architects and urban planners. After all, urban furniture has a major influence on the identity and use of spaces. Factors such as the configuration and location of a bench influence how people use the space and how they perceive buildings. In combination with street lighting and other street furniture, benches can increase the safety of places and prevent vandalism. They make the city more liveable and create identity.

The company BENKERT BÄNKE is a pioneer for modern and sustainable benches. These are not made of wood, but rather of recycled stainless steel and, in some cases, recycled PET coatings. The modular benches from the Lower Franconian company, which can be extended with matching street furniture, have already won several design awards, such as the DNA Paris Design Award, the EPDA European Product Design Award, the German Design Award, the Good Design Award, the IDA, the LICC and the SIT Award.

The Chalidor models and the modular Linesca seating option from BENKERT BÄNKE are the company’s award winners and offer many architectural highlights. The Chalidor benches for parks and public spaces are characterized by their interplay of colors and shapes. They are made of stainless steel and are available in various sizes and designs, such as chairs, stools, loungers and seating groups. Most of the products in the award-winning Chalidor series can be strung together as endless benches, both in the same and in over 8,500 colors. This creates individual lengths that make a room special.

In 2024, the Linesca benches from BENKERT received the German Design Award for their boundless lines and sophisticated design. As a modular bench, Linesca is well suited for creative furniture arrangements in public spaces. The company recommends using the stainless steel elements with their connectors in parks, schoolyards or company campuses, for example. A wide variety of shapes can be created, from simple designs to complex structures.

Benches are particularly important in front of landmarks or in places where people are waiting for transport. Street furniture is also used to enjoy the view and engage in dialog. In addition to fixed, timeless benches, BENKERT BÄNKE also offers modular options that are particularly suitable for gardens and for specific seasons or events.

This is in line with an important trend in the design of cities and buildings, where the user experience is increasingly taking center stage. Comfortable, ergonomic and modular benches can change the way people use a space. Be it mobile furniture with reconfigurable seating, with bicycle parking, with planters, with litter garbage cans or with bollards, BENKERT has a wide range of products so that entire seating islands can be created with a coherent overall look. Comfort is a top priority.

The BENKERT BÄNKE company has been closely linked to architecture since it was founded over three decades ago. For example, the famous Swiss architect Mario Botta designed the company building in Altershausen near Königsberg in Lower Franconia. This building forms a symbiosis of nature and architecture and thus reflects the company’s philosophy. From design and conception to complete production, all stages of the outdoor furniture process take place in the inspiring building, with both innovative technology and loving craftsmanship playing a role. Even BENKERT’s historic Pausa product line, which still has a major influence on the company’s work today, was designed by Mario Botta. This is why architects still prefer the company’s characterful and high-quality solutions today.

The company’s tranquil surroundings inspire the team to see outdoor furniture as a haven of peace for people. Ecological action is just as important to BENKERT BÄNKE as harmonious coexistence. Accordingly, the company is not only sustainable and CO2-neutral, but also climate-positive. The company site laid the foundations for this back in 1997. No oil, gas or water is used in the production of the benches. The transparent roofs use the solar effect for heating, while natural thermal insulation and modern wood chip heating further contribute to minimizing BENKERT BÄNKE’s footprint.

The company also produces its outdoor furniture with the same sustainability in mind. It is 100 percent recyclable after its useful life. They require virtually no maintenance and are very durable. The stainless steel used consists of 55 to 80 percent recycled material. BENKERT BÄNKE does not use wood, because although the raw material is renewable and has a great deal of sustainable potential, the company believes it is not ideal for benches. This is because outdoor furniture made of wood is subject to faster wear and more intensive maintenance, which can have an unnecessary impact on the environment.

So instead of importing wood, the company relies on 100% recyclable materials such as stainless steel to create functional and aesthetically pleasing benches. These are a symbol of sustainable awareness and the responsible use of natural resources. As a pioneer in sustainable street furniture design, BENKERT BÄNKE shows that good street benches are not worth a tree. Instead, with its modular, innovative benches made of durable stainless steel, the company offers an alternative future for street furniture in planning and architecture.