You may have never heard of the Scottish town of Irvine, the main administrative centre of North Ayrshire, lying on the banks of the Firth of Clyde. You probably also didn’t know that Irvine served as the capital of Scotland during the Middle Ages, or that celebrated writer Edgar Allan Poe spent a year studying here. But what we’d really love you to hear from us is all about the brilliant architecture solution found in the public space at the local hospital. It’s an example of a refreshing approach to health, both physical and mental. The Respite Pavilion, by Graeme Massie Architects, is a structure whose tranquility truly captures your attention. And our Preva Urbana benches are a satisfying addition to the finished installation.
The outdoor pavilion was designed as part of a new area of the hospital dedicated to mental health, built as part of a strategy promoting art in public spaces. The pavilion has become a genuine landscape sculpture. Its form is intentionally unstraightforward, with echoes of ancient ruins, brick gardens, or even a chapel beneath the open skies. This ambiguity enables users to reach their own interpretations of the space, fostering memories of a familiar, inviting environment away from the confines of the hospital. In fact, spending time outdoors and supporting an active lifestyle are two things which play a significant role in treating mental illnesses.
The project explores how the geology of an area can help bestow it with a deeper meaning firmly rooted in the context of the landscape, resulting in the use of intersecting red-coloured concrete planes. The three rectangles each feature a circular aperture, and these forms interplay to create an open structure centred around a stand of birch trees. The pavilion frames views and cultivates a more hospitable outdoor microclimate, sheltered from the wind but open to the sun and sky. Preva Urbana benches are freely scattered around the structure, and are unanchored so users can easily move them together or apart where need be.
Comfort with style. This is Preva Urbana. Designed by David Karásek.
Aside from its style, Preva Urbana’s comfort might surprise you too, thanks to its excellent ergonomics. A band of subtle wooden slats is placed upon a visually subtle structure made from steel strips to generate this traditional park bench’s unique character. It stems from the aesthetic of classic garden furniture, and brings the homely comfort and atmosphere of a garden with it into public spaces. And it has nothing to fear going out in public, thanks to its remarkable durability and ergonomically enhanced comfort. The steel grille model displays an interesting transformation in appearance, and enables broader usability.
The bench’s galvanised steel structure is made from steel strips treated with a powder coating, available in any colour. The seat and backrest come as either a continuous band of wooden slats, or a grille made from steel rounds. Easily anchored to the ground.
photography: Russell Beard
