Architecturally Harmonious Furnishings and the Beastie Boys
I worked at McDonald’s, back when we could get a cheeseburger, fries, and a Coke for $1.45. It was when cordless landline phones were new and Hot Pockets, Fruit Rollups, Nintendo, and the Beastie Boys didn’t quite hit the shelves yet. Yeah, times were tough.
I worked the graveyard shift; 10:00pm – 6:00am. One night, I was sitting with the manager in the “dining room”, as they called it. I said, “Man, these seats are NOT comfortable”. In fact, they were quite ugly; harsh colors and cold-war styling, illuminated with diffused fluorescent lighting.
My manager replied, “Yeah, that’s on purpose.”
“Why?”
He said, “Because we want people to eat and leave. We don’t want lingering or loitering.” I was just a young teenager, but even then I thought, “well, that’s not very welcoming.”
That kind of, “we don’t want you staying here” philosophy is still in play at many places and I don’t get it. Starbucks got it right with “the third place”. Howard Shultz’s ideas was that there’s home, work, and Starbucks. Please come in, gather, share great coffee, and deepen human connection.
Customers would gather, linger, relax, talk and spend $5 on a white-mocha misto. Crazy, right? How did they encourage this kind of behavior in a world of “get out”?
Atmosphere. Warm lighting, a friendly and welcoming staff, and stylish and comfortable furniture. Imagine a chair or a bench that was comfortable and a table where you didn’t smash your knees when taking a seat. I still feel it on rainy days. A place where the furnishings weren’t donated by the local high-security prison.
I see this in many outdoor site furnishings. A steel bench that if you think about it, could double as a pit barbeque. Even benches with backrests look like they came from a dystopian world where everyone wears the same utilitarian boots and the skies are always gray. You’re wearing a jacket, but it’s not even cold and for some reason, there’s an air-raid siren in the background. Who wrote this script? Yikes!
What if the outdoors; a city-scape or a park was a “fourth place” (I didn’t want to steal Starbucks’ spot), or another place where we would feel comfortable gathering and relaxing? The lighting is already pretty awesome, so really it’s about the furnishings.
A bench, chair, or table that brings us together, makes us feel welcomed, lowers our collective blood pressure, and uplifts our spirit. Did I overshoot that?
Equiparc site furnishings creates an outdoor environment that is more enjoyable, welcomes us, celebrates the human form, and encourages us to stay a while. Combining design with quality and durability for over 40 years, Equiparc elevates the outdoor experience.
The sun is breaking through the clouds, the kids are playing frisbee with the dog, and I’m pretty sure I hear ‘Three MCs and One DJ’ playing in the background. Not sure why that guy is wearing a jacket though.
Life is good.