Curated reports, “Created as a final project at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, Gal Ben-Arav’s Bamboo Bench marries raw bamboo and cast aluminum. The Israeli designer chose to use bamboo in raw form because of the materials minimal processing. Though not native to Israel, bamboo is now grown in a controlled manner in the Middle East with an eye to building sustainable resources.”

More images at Curated.

Karolina Tylka, of Polish design studio BEYOND, cares about smart use of space. The adjustable nature of her “Coffee Bench” speaks directly to this concern, the movable elements allowing for different size seating and table top options. Tylka’s inspiration – finding space for a coffee in the garden – is as simple as the solution. However, the formation of the modular elements of the bench proves notable sophistication. (via Contemporist).

More images of the Coffee Bench after the jump.

From Curated -

Founded by Florian Roeper, Studio Roeper handcrafts small batch high-end furnishings. Based in Oakland, the firm pairs earthy materials with clean lines (and occasionally metals) to produce objects that are at once contemporary and warm. Of particular note are the coffee tables in the core collection. These articulate the Studio’s mission directly, with a soft industrial aesthetic (if that makes sense). The Zinc table is above.

Benches and more after the jump.

Creo Concrete Studio began as a collaborative effort between Maysun Wells and Eric Green. The two Californian’s understand well the inherent potential of concrete to produce beautiful forms. Their outdoor furniture, inlayed with cut glass or ammonite, is far cry from Brutalism. The chairs, tables, fire pits, and benches take soft, warm form, with an emphasis on curve and geometric shapes. (via Contemporist).

Further examples follow.

Designed for Mexico City-based Pirwi, the Flex Collection is built through the creation of a twisted plywood formed mesh. The pieces are delicate, yet structurally very strong. The resulting stool, bench, and coffee table maintain undulating lines and patterns that support seats and (in the case of the new coffee table) a glass top. The table is the gem, with slender recessed legs that magnify the overall light feel.

The Flex Collection comes from the mind of Emiliano Godoy. The bench and stool can be viewed after the jump. (via Contemporist and Curated).

Even though I am regularly keen on design focused for specific segments on the population (cyclists, bus riders, etc), items conceived for smokers never quite grab me. Take this “Smoker Bench,” for example, while not unpleasant it certainly doesn’t fill the smoker with joy and prompt exclamations of “by god, they’ve given me what I need and want as a marginalized human.” They’ve given a place to stow finished butts and a sad tease of grass. Thankfully I’ve not found a designers statement noting the grass as a method of offsetting a cigarette smokers pollutants. (via Industrial Design Served).

A secondary view after the jump.