The Art of Built-In Seating

摘要

In spite of all the effort we put into our alfresco environments, there is always a sense that we are extraneous to them, even optional - we are in the garden but not of it. It is perhaps that intimation of irrelevancy that leads great designers to create permanent seating in the landscape. Built-in outdoor seating is championed for its function (it's an always-ready space maximizer at least as old as the Mediterranean terrace) and its aesthetic possibilities (it's a notable cornerstone of thoughtful mid-century design). But the draw is deeper. By establishing a permanent place for ourselves within the outdoors, we anchor our position in the landscape and become a participant in - rather than a mere observer of - our piece of the natural world.