morgenstille & schneemann
Atelier für Kunst im öffentlichen Raum / Studio for Art in Public Space

NOTE: This part of our website is private and made exclusively for the Woodlands Waterway Arts Council.

The Woodlands Art Bench Project, 2014

# location 1
"Woodlands Gemstone"
Design: Maik Scheermann and Saša Kološnjaj, 2013
Material: transparent acrylic
Bottom bracket: steel tube construction
Size: Ø 60” (1.5 m), height 22” (550 mm), thickness 0.8” (20 mm)

A beautiful, inviting diamond is located in the upper part of an amphitheater park. The diamond is made out of crystal-clear
acrylic material. Depending on the time of the day, diamond’s facets on the inside refract spectral colors of various intensity. 
The diamond’s presence creates a new highlight in the park and makes visitor’s sitting experience special. The transparent
body also describes the boundary between artistic object and a functional form. While the superposition of nature and culture
is conceptually interplayed. As the park itself is created from different trees, the diamond represents the range of carbon
compounds and the people’s ability to deal with it – from cutting of the hardest material to the use of a single–layer carbon
structures in nanotechnology.

# location 2
"Woodlands Woodstones"
Design: Maik Scheermann and Saša Kološnjaj, 2013
Material: glued cypress wood, sanded, painted
Bottom bracket: steel tube construction
Timber body 1: Ø 63" (1.6 m), height 22” (500 mm)
Timber body 2: Ø 24" (0.6 m), height 12" (300 mm)

Two, differently sized bodies of cypress wood are stacked on the top of each other. They invitingly wait for visitor to sit on.
The objects evoke pleasant, soothing forms of “worry stones” in the size of boulders (glacial erratics). Here, however, they
are designed to be comfortably sat on. The lower body, larger of the two, comfortably seats several people. The upper
body, eccentrically mounted, serves as a backrest.
The “Wood Stones” enrich natural surrounding and provide relaxing, sitting experience.

# location 4
"Woodlands Whale Fin Bench"
Design: Maik Scheermann and Saša Kološnjaj, 2013
Material: metal covered with polyester, sanded, painted
Bottom bracket: steel tube construction
Dimensions: 70" (1.80m) x 24" (0.60m) x 20" (0.50m)

The green space between the water wall and the mosaic fountain could be seen as a water surface. At the edge of the
"water surface", a whale's fin is seen before diving into the deep water. This harmoniously rounded "fin" invites visitors to
sit on. The place is not only enriched by water-themed object, but it also, discreetly provides seating for four.

# location 6
"Woodlands Planter Bench"
Design: Maik Scheermann and Saša Kološnjaj, 2013
Material: 30mm curved laminated safety glass
Bottom bracket: steel tube construction
Dimensions: 70" (1.80m) x 24" (0.60m) x 20" (0.50m)

The challenge was to create a bench that is seemingly integrated in the green strip and offers an exclusive, comfortable
sitting. With its two open sides, the bench lets natural plants grow freely while setting itself into natural surrounding.
The peacefulness of the location is expressed through use of the transparency of glass. The bench provides exceptional
experience of seating on the top of the plants.

# location 8
"Woodlands Saddle Bench"
Design: Maik Scheermann and Saša Kološnjaj, 2013
Material: metal covered with polyester, sanded, painted
Wall bracket: holding steel construction
Dimensions: 70" (1.80m) x 24" (0.60m) x 20" (0.50m)

Flowingly curved bench is fixed to the building's wall, taking up the motif of the saddle in a very contemporary form.
The saddle motif is deeply rooted in the history of Texas. The flowing form evokes water and passing of the history.
The bench comfortably seats several people, with a beautiful view of the water basin.