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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.
Pascal Madoc Jones
Design Director at Bridges Associates
