white & white

british designer paul cocksedge is transforming finsbury avenue square with please be seated. located in the heart of broadgate, the landmark project will be the most ambitious of british land’s commissions to date.

the large-scale installation fuses innovation and technology, and responds to the changing rhythm of the community: its design features curves for people to sit on and walk under, further enhancing london’s largest pedestrianized neighborhood. the work is made from scaffolding planks, and cocksedge has collaborated with essex-based high-end interiors company white & white to re-imagine and re-use the building wood.

“every single aspect of the installation is tailored to its environment as well as the function it serves,” says cocksedge. “the curves raise up to create backrests and places to sit, as well as space for people to walk under, or pause and find some shade. it walks the line between a craft object and a design solution. it occupies the square without blocking it.”

broadgate’s the space | 3fa will be home to an exhibition of paul cocksedge’s work, including his journey from inception to creation of please be seated. as part of shoreditch design triangle’s design night, paul will be in conversation with a panel of experts discussing meaningful design for the public realm.

chief executive of british land, chris grigg said: “design is integral to everything we do at british land so we’re delighted to continue our partnership with london design festival for the fourth consecutive year. we truly believe good design has the power to create places where people want to be and where people want to spend time.”