As Design Director at Bridges Associates I was tasked
with finding the replacement. Easier said than done.
We could not find an off-the shelf bench which was
slatted, upholstered and fitted the somewhat bespoke
dimensions of the Lord’s terraces. Konstantin Grcic’s
Bench B came closest so I spoke to Jordi Arnau at BD
Barcelona who immediately understood the challenge.
With the sort of can-do attitude that has made BD
famous, he proposed changes to the dimensions of
the cast aluminium frame and the slats, all weather
upholstery, and various small details that effectively
turned the bench into a bespoke product without losing
its essential beauty. Lord’s is a byword in tradition.
The Pavilion houses committees that regulate the
international game, as well as holding astonishing
collections of artefacts and paintings which illustrate
cricket from its beginnings on a field nearby. The
benches are a visible part of the tradition, so it is
very significant that the new refined design has been
accommodated so seamlessly.
73
CONTRACT
LORD’S CRICKET GROUND
PRODUCT CATALOGUE ADAPTATIONS
