Mrs. Kate Shin, the owner and curator of the Waterfall Mansion & Gallery, strongly believes that waterfalls have the power to cultivate, restore and empower. Identifying herself with the artists’ journey, thank to Toshiko Mori the Mansion becomes a resting place for the soul, a place for community and support, a safe space for heling and renewal.
Together with this, another japanese healing and empowering therapy is the shinrin yoku, the forest bathing: that’s why I’ve decided to merge this two ideas, the waterfall and the forest bathing, in a single project.
The CLIFF bench wants to recall overhanging rocks over ponds or waterfalls in the jungle. Enriched with an enclosed planter, it gives the chance to sit and recover surrounded by nature. This resemblance is enhanced both in the shape and in the materials: in fact, the bench is built up joining together two bodies, the seat and the base. While the base is always made of polished stainless steel to evoke water, the seat can be realized in different materials: for example, blackened stainless or boreal black nickel, so that they create a strong contrast in reflections and textures.
Both parts are build up with 20/10 metal sheet, and every face of them is perfectly flat to simplify the nesting, cutting and assembling of the bench. To ensure enough strenght it’s also possible to create an inner framework that helps with the positioning of the faces in the correct angle. The seat is totally boxed, with an enclosed planter. Once built, the ground and material put in the planter will help keeping the bench balanced. Fixing bolts will be soldered on the lower side, as shown in the images. A cavity in the base will house the seat and keep it stable in place. Being the side facing the floor open, it’s possible to reach the inside to screw the nuts on the bolts, ensuring in position the seat.
The final aspect of the bench is a balancing overahanging rock on a pond, surrounded by a private and personal little jungle