Concrete & Stone Seating
Concrete seating provides a durable, robust and design-led solution for public sector, landscape and external works projects.
From simple precast concrete benches to modular high-performance concrete seating systems, it can be used to create permanent resting points, social spaces and architectural features within hard landscaping.
BSFG supplies a wide range of concrete seating for architects, landscape architects, main contractors and sub-contractors working across public education, transport, residential and commercial projects.
Our range includes traditional precast concrete benches alongside contemporary and modular systems that give specifiers greater flexibility over form, layout, finishes and additional seating elements.
WHY SPECIFY CONCRETE SEATING?
Concrete is well suited to demanding external environments because it combines strength, mass and long-term durability. For specifiers, this makes concrete seating particularly useful in areas exposed to intensive public use, weathering and the risk of accidental or deliberate damage.
Its weight can also be an advantage. Many concrete benches can be installed as free-standing units, reducing the need for extensive visible fixings while creating a stable piece of street furniture.
For architects, concrete also offers significant design freedom. Different concrete mixes, colours, surface treatments and geometries allow seating to complement paving, walls, planters and other hard landscape materials rather than appear as a separate element.
Richard Burns, Graduate Business Development Manager at BSFG, comments,
“Concrete seating works particularly well when the project needs something robust without compromising the overall design. There is a much wider choice of forms and finishes available than people sometimes expect, so we can usually find an option that works with the wider landscape.”
WHERE IS CONCRETE SEATING USED?
Concrete outdoor seating can be specified across:
- town centre and public regeneration schemes
- parks and landscaped public spaces
- schools, colleges and university campuses
- residential and mixed-use developments
- commercial developments and business parks
- transport hubs and station environments
- retail and leisure destinations
- civic spaces, plazas and pedestrianised areas
The correct product depends on how the space is expected to function, the desired design language and practical considerations such as access, installation and maintenance.
Alice Rolfe, Sales Support at BSFG, explains,
“When somebody contacts us about concrete seating, the first thing we try to understand is the type of space and how the seating will be used. Once we know that, we can narrow the range down and help them choose something that suits both the project and the practical requirements.”
CONCRETE SEATING AND PLACEMAKING
Public seating affects how people use a space. Providing places to stop, rest, meet and spend time can support a more usable public space, while the layout of seating can help organise movement and define different areas within a landscape.
Concrete seating is particularly useful where the furniture itself forms part of the architecture.
Modular systems can create long linear arrangements, curves, clusters and informal gathering spaces rather than relying solely on conventional individual benches.
Concrete can also be combined with timber, steel, planting and other materials to add warmth, contrast or additional functionality.
The Diamante Seating, for example, uses high-performance concrete within a modular system that supports straight and curved configurations. Optional seating surfaces, backrests, armrests and planter elements allow designers to develop more complex seating landscapes around the requirements of the scheme.
CHOOSING CONCRETE SEATING FOR A PROJECT
Standard or modular seating
The first decision is whether the project needs individual benches or seating that contributes more directly to the spatial design.
Simple precast concrete benches work well where clear, robust seating positions are required. The Ellis Seating bench is manufactured from concrete and provides a straightforward free-standing solution for public spaces. Its substantial construction and restrained form make it suitable for schemes where durability and simplicity are priorities.
For something more distinctive, the Severn Seating uses a Y-shaped precast concrete form to create seating in several directions from one unit. This can help create a more informal arrangement within larger pedestrian spaces.
High-performance concrete seating
High-performance concrete allows manufacturers to produce strong architectural forms with refined finishes and more complex geometries.
The Agata Seating is manufactured from high-performance concrete and provides a strong linear form that can be configured with a choice of seating and backrest options. This gives architects greater control over the balance between a predominantly concrete aesthetic and the addition of timber or metal elements.
The Up Seating provides another approach to modular high-performance concrete seating. Its contemporary form and configurable modules make it suited to plazas, campuses and transport environments where the seating needs to make a stronger architectural contribution.
WHAT SHOULD SPECIFIERS CONSIDER?
Layout and accessibility
Concrete seating should be considered as part of the wider external works plan rather than added after paving, planting and circulation routes have been fixed.
Architects should consider seat position, orientation, spacing and surrounding circulation alongside the needs of different users. Where appropriate, seating with backrests and armrests can be incorporated into the wider mix to support a more inclusive environment.
Finish and appearance
Concrete does not have to mean a single grey finish. Product ranges can include different colours, textures, exposed aggregates and polished or treated surfaces.
The finish should be selected alongside paving, kerbs, retaining walls, planters and surrounding architecture so that the furniture supports a consistent material palette.
Installation and site logistics
Weight is one of concrete seating's main strengths in use, but it also needs consideration during installation.
Main contractors and sub-contractors should establish unit weights, lifting requirements, delivery access and fixing methods before the products arrive on site. Finished levels and foundations should also be coordinated early so that heavy units can be positioned efficiently without damaging completed hard landscaping.
This is particularly important when street furniture is installed towards the end of a construction project, when access may already be restricted.
Richard Burns explains,
“The practical details matter just as much as the appearance. If lifting access, finished levels and installation are considered early, it makes the job much more straightforward for the contractor when the seating arrives on site.”
COORDINATING CONCRETE SEATING WITH THE WIDER EXTERNAL WORKS PACKAGEPROJECT
Concrete benches are rarely the only street furniture required on a project. Seating may need to coordinate with planters, litter bins, cycle parking, bollards, shelters and other public realm elements.
BSFG's Design to Delivery approach allows these elements to be considered as one coordinated package. Its in-house CAD team can support drawings and visualisation, while manufacturing, logistics, installation and project support help contractors manage the package through to completion.
Combining external works products through one supplier can also simplify procurement, reduce the number of separate deliveries and give project teams one point of contact for technical support and aftercare.
Alice Rolfe comments,
“A lot of our customers are looking at more than one product category on a project. Being able to discuss the seating alongside bins, planters, cycle parking or other street furniture means we can help make sure the whole package works together rather than treating every product separately.”
SPECIFY CONCRETE SEATING WITH BSFG
BSFG supplies concrete seating ranging from simple, robust precast benches to architectural and modular high-performance concrete systems.
Whether the priority is durability, ease of maintenance, distinctive public realm design or the coordination of seating with a wider external works package, our team can help identify a solution that meets the design intent and practical requirements of the project.
Contact the BSFG team on 01625 322 888 or hello@bsfg.co.uk to discuss concrete seating for a current or upcoming scheme.
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