Big buoy - URBAN RADICALS
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Big buoy, London, 2019

This is BIG BUOY, a playful and interactive bench made of leftover cork from an exhibition at the Tate Modern. Inspired by the signalling buoys gently rocking on the Thames, BIG BUOY can be rocked vigorously from side to side for play or exercise, yet has been engineered to always correct itself to an upright position without flipping over, eliminating the need for ground anchoring.

The first BIG BUOY pictured here, was made for the London Borough of Newham as part of the London Festival of Architecture in 2019. Its design revives and reinterprets elements of the Royal Docks’ history into an interactive object where engineering, technology, innovation and making come together to create a comfortable place to sit alone or together, indoors or outdoors. BIG BUOY exemplifies UR’s ambition of creating designs for people and our cities which are relaxed, fun, friendly and for everyone.

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The design draws inspiration from the buoys which signaled and guided boats through the river and docks. Standing freely and lightly rocking, these became landmarks of a remarkably rich era in which London development was powered by infrastructure along the Thames and can still be seen today as freestanding monuments on the water.
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Early design sketch.
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The team approached this commission with a particular focus on sustainability, working closely with the fabrication team to source blocks of leftover cork from a major art exhibition at the Tate Modern.

The form invites a multigenerational crowd to interact in a variety of ways which may vary from simply sitting, to gently rocking and even exercising. The bespoke rope handle is made of human hair bio-waste, sourced and handcrafted by material researcher and UR collaborator Sanne Visser. The handle interprets and celebrates the craft of marine rope making and the once prominent boat yards of the Royal Docks, while giving the bench a contrasting layer of tactility and softness.

BIG BUOY is scalable in size and can be fine-tuned to fit different age groups and people. It is available worldwide upon request, in a broad range of finishes and colours and can be installed in public spaces, domestic environments or any office setting.

Big buoy

Type: Object

Location: Mandarin Street, Royal Docks, London, E16 2YP

For: Royal Docks LONDON, London Borough of Newham, Greater London Authority, London Festival of Architecture

Status: Completed

Featured in: Archdaily

Collaborator: SANNE VISSER

With thanks to: MILLIMETRE,  AKT II

Photography: Luke O’Donovan

 

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1
The design draws inspiration from the buoys which signaled and guided boats through the river and docks. Standing freely and lightly rocking, these became landmarks of a remarkably rich era in which London development was powered by infrastructure along the Thames and can still be seen today as freestanding monuments on the water.
2
Early design sketch.
3
The team approached this commission with a particular focus on sustainability, working closely with the fabrication team to source blocks of leftover cork from a major art exhibition at the Tate Modern.