Chit Chat Chair by Studio Groove

Four winning design teams have been selected to have their benches installed as part of the fourth edition of our Pews and Perches competition, each offering a unique perspective and interpretation of the LFA theme ‘In Common’.

Resembling two barrels that sit together on the quayside, the Chit Chat Chair's curved form hugs its sitters and creates a moment of refuge within the Royal Victoria Dock. The bench's S-shape brings two users into an unusually intimate composition, with the aim of sparking spontaneous conversation and encouraging people to discover what they share in common.

Chit Chat Chair is by Studio Groove, and can be found at the Royal Docks Floating Gardens. Founded by friends Andrew and Kate – both working qualified architects – Studio Groove is their outlet for creative thinking and handcraft projects. Having first worked together on their final masters thesis at Edinburgh College of Art – Crafting the Liminal, which exhibited at the RSA’s New Contemporaries – the two have continued to partner-up on the design and construction of everything from furniture to sheds to staircases.

Click the video or the link to hear Andrew and Kate share the story behind their design.