When Functionality Meets Sustainability

Photo: www.treehugger.com

So you’re walking by a park, a bus stop or playground, and you find a nice bench to sit on.

However, you may want to take a good look at that bench, because what you could be sitting on is a green machine.

The Water Bench, which is designed to look like a Chesterfield sofa, uses the grooves to channel rainwater toward inlets, according to treehugger.com.

Those inlets are disguised as upholstery buttons and directs water into storage tanks on either side of the bench or under the ground.

Made from partially recycled polyethylene, the Water Bench was designed by MARS architects.

Prototypes for the bench are installed in Mumbai, India to help nearby landscapes.

If you’re worried about sitting on a wet surface, don’t be. The Water Bench was specifically designed to stay dry without getting the user soaked.

Each bench can store 500, 1,000 or 1,800 liters (approximately 132, 264 or 476 gallons)

So, the next time you need to take a quick break on a bench, you may be sitting on the next sustainable resource for the green industry.