On a weekend in Amsterdam, I noticed how many residential buildings had benches right outside the front door on the narrow sidewalks, like this one. It struck me as romantic and kind of sweet, though I never seemed to catch anybody actually sitting on one. Were the benches for the residents themselves, a makeshift stoop in a city where outdoor space was scarce? Did unwanted suitors use them as a comfortable stake-out? Did homeless people sleep on them? Didn't this kind of thing encourage loitering? Wasn't it awfully trusting to leave a piece of furniture out on the street through the unguarded night and expect to find it in the morning? And then I saw the padlocks.
"Those benches are from the residents, padlocked down because people steal them," a friend in Amsterdam told me. "Space, and especially outdoor space, is rare here, and folks cherish their own bench in the sun. Don't know about the homeless thing, but being homeless is not common here and the wandering sorts (like junkies and crazies) tend to congregate around the Red Light District."
This one was built into the structure and thereby thief-proof:
Here's another one I saw on a pedestrian street in Tuscany last summer, made of heavy stone:
Do you have anything like this where you live?
- Kristin Hohenadel blogging from rue Vieille du Temple, Paris, France. She can be reached at kristinh @ apartmenttherapy . com
As a matter of fact, on the block of East 50th Street between First and Second where I used to live until about three and a half years ago, there was a stone bench in front of a little chocolate shop (which I don't think is there anymore). I used to park myself there for a bit after eating dinner out, if I didn't feel like going back up to my apartment right away.
view Jane's profile
My husband and I live in Brooklyn (Carroll Gardens) and we have a bench out front in a gated garden area. We only moved in to our apartment in December, so we haven't really had weather yet that would make sitting out there enjoyable, but I'm looking forward to it.
view Sasha's profile
I imagine they serve the same cultural function as the traditional American "front porch".
view Niamh's profile
Yes I had one in front of my flat in The Netherlands and I put one in front of my first place in New York (we set it in concrete so there was no way anyone was taking it).
view TheoJ's profile
I live in Amsterdam, and it is not usual to sit down on a bench that is not your own. It just doesn't feel very homely, I suppose. One sees older people taking a short rest occasionally.
Homeless probably want less attention, but they are used by younger people wanting to meet up who don't like to go to a cafe. That is not considered "comme il faut", thus they do not stay too long.
view Jute Zak's profile
Just had to post: I took almost EXACTLY the same shot in Amsterdam a few years ago, walking enchantedly down the streets... imagine my excitement to see we shared that same frame!!
view N.Z.G.'s profile
a friend in berlin had one outside his apartment building (kreuzberg area) but i honestly can't remember seeing any in new york that have belonged to residents (just businesses). i live in the city so any outside seating area i can think of would be the steps leading up to the door after the gate.
view peahen's profile
Being from Amsterdam, I can tell you that on a hot sunny day, the benches are used a lot (by their owners) to enjoy the sun. As there are only about twenty hot sunny days a year in the Netherlands, you might imagine why they take the effort to put a bench outside. Ofcourse you can go to the park, but using your own toilet and refrigerator is often preferred. Another use of these benches is to prevent people passing by peeking into the owners home.
view edwinm's profile
Jute Zak is right.
My front fence is the only one for quite a distance people can sit on. The very young and the old often perch there to and from the shops. We let a shrub grown quite tall so the fence is shaded. It's like August in New York from Dec to Feb (although this year was coolest in 50 years - yay!).
When I broke my ankle, and the 12 minute walk became a 45 minute marathon, I became only too aware that once I left my home, there was NOWHERE to stop.
Street seating should be mandatory, even just single seats one at 45 cm high and the other at 60 cm because depending on your disability, getting up can be a challenge.
view Deb of Oz's profile
I love this idea. I wish I could put a bench outside my building, but I'd probably get complaints about possible homeless etc.
view Terry's profile
I work in Amsterdam and for many, this is the closest they'll get to a garden to relax in. People-watching is not just a sport here, it's a way of life, and the benches are very much in use when the weather suits. People will camp in front of their homes, share beers with their neighbors (and the pub patrons on the corner, and the passers by..) as if it's a green space. With narrow streets and very small apartments (35-60 sq/m on average for a single), every last bit of space is put to use.
view Hilversum's profile
ADORE the private/public benches. Stateside, I've noticed quite a few of these in San Francisco. Here in Seattle, I came across a slightly different iteration, the built-in building entry bench: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14930927@N07/1555549497/
Whether built in or anchored, I love what these benches represent: a place for your guests to rest while they wait for you, a place for passers-by to sit for a spell, a place for residents to savor a few minutes in the sun. Marvellous.
view JAW's profile