The first “dwellos” can already be tried out on the main square. 30 to 40 pieces of the wavy seating furniture are to be set up in Linz by late summer, the colors will vary. Where exactly, the citizens can have a say. Until July 20th, interested parties can vote on where the wavy seating furniture should be set up – voting is possible directly on the “Entertainer” container at the main square or via the homepage of the main innovation square. Eleven locations are available, including Pfarrplatz, Martin-Luther-Platz and Promenade. It is planned to always place several “dwellos” at one location.
The “dwellos” go back to a competition between the city of Linz and the art university last year. Student Anna Weberberger’s seating furniture project was one of the three proposals that were successful at the time. The project is now being implemented by Linz’s Innovations-Hauptplatz and City Management Linz (CML). The “dwellos” are produced by the company 3D Concrete Printing Solutions. Like Mayor Klaus Luger (SP), Elke Pflug, CML Managing Director, is convinced that the seating can increase the quality and length of stay in the city. “Linz needs such areas of deceleration for all age groups in a consumption-free context,” says Pflug. It is planned to set up 30 to 40 “dwellos” by late summer, the investment volume is around 70,000 euros.
“Climate-friendly” production
Anna Weberberger is very happy that her project is now actually being implemented: “I have already received a lot of positive feedback, especially in terms of comfort. In addition to the formal language, that was very important to me.” She hopes that the “dwellos” will be well received: “A seat alone does not make a city square, it needs the people who use it.” Weberberger also emphasizes the versatile usability , emphasizing the different configurations of the wavy furniture.
For Mayor Luger, the “dwellos” are a good example of “climate-friendly and innovative functional art”. Thanks to the special manufacturing technology, up to 80 percent of CO2 emissions can be saved, says Arndt Traindl, Managing Director of 3D Concrete Printing Solutions. “We are delighted that, as an Upper Austrian company, we are able to set up such great objects in the provincial capital.” A “dwello” is about 1.4 meters long, 60 centimeters wide, 85 centimeters high, weighs around 300 kilograms and has its own drain for rainwater. The furniture is also “vandal-proof” due to its design, according to Traindl.
“Important Upgrade”
The Greens, who have long campaigned for more seating in public spaces, welcome the fact that the “dwello” project is now being implemented. “Additional seating is an important upgrade of public space and contributes to making the city even more the living room of the citizens,” says Green youth spokesman Tomislav Pilipović. A drop of bitterness, however, is that the original plan to produce the furniture from recycled plastic has been deviated from. Due to the current weight of the furniture, it will be impossible to transport the seating furniture easily and to use it flexibly.
Incidentally, the “dwellos” are to be followed by the second winning project – the “Linz Letters” as a photo meeting place. However, it will still be a while before that happens. There is still a need for coordination and further development here, according to Luger and Pflug. The third project – the water mist clock – is off the table. There were medical concerns about bacteria here, says Luger.
Source: Nachrichten
