Bench 1, is our beautiful woodland amphitheatre designed by Practice Architecture. You can find it nestled in the woodlands at Limnerslease. Everyone is welcome to explore Bench 1, it's a lovely spot to sit, pause and reflect amongst nature.

The raised Douglas-fir auditorium can accommodate up to 70 people and creates an enclosed visual and acoustic environment.

Bench 1 was also installed at the New Art Centre in Salisbury, Frensham Heights School and Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland.

Bench 1 was originally commissioned to facilitate the educational programme at the New Arts Centre, a sculpture park at Roche Court near Salisbury. The design process was motivated by a desire to use simple construction methods and sustainable materials to shape an intimate space for a group to come together, whether it be for a talk, performance, or a picnic.

The Douglas-fir structure of Bench 1 forms an octagonal amphitheatre raised off the ground, which can seat up to 70 people. The success of Bench 1 at The New Arts Centre has made it part of their permanent collection, as well as a sculptural installation which can be recreated in a range of settings. The timber amphitheatre has since been constructed at Frensham Heights School in Farnham and Ballymaloe Cookery School near Cork in Ireland. Both at Frensham and Ballymaloe, the amphitheatre is well used and much loved.

How was it designed and made?

Practice Architecture’s work often occupies a space between art and architecture, and the act of building and making has a strong relationship with the overall design and this felt like it sat alongside our founders, G F and Mary Watts, ethos incredibly well.

Founded in 2009, Practice Architecture is known for creating extraordinary structures. Practice Architecture have a hands-on approach: designing structures with the process of creating them in mind - the feel of the materials, the structural sequence, taking into account the teamwork involved and overall project satisfaction. Often working with volunteers, teaching, learning and sharing building-skills is an important part of how Practice Architecture works, this links closely with our mission of Art for All by All.

Having construction experience themselves, Practice Architecture work closely and collaboratively with those who will realise their designs. To produce Bench 1 in 2021, Practice Architecture continued their long-standing partnership with Oscar Cooper of Lignin Builds Ltd., a construction company who prioritise low-embodied carbon construction methods, working collaboratively, and the wellbeing of its team.

Bench 1 is designed for a team of four to construct within three weeks, using simple materials and techniques. The process of construction is celebrated in the look and feel of the finished design - the legibility of the structure and exposed raw materials.

Daily visits by those who have commissioned Bench 1 have been a feature of previous installation processes. This visibility of the process provides an intimate sense of how Bench 1 came to be made, creating a strong relationship between the sculpture and those who will come to use and look after it.

This project could not have happened without the generous support of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, Arts Council England and Compton Parish Council. We would also like to thank our wonderful volunteer Cultural Gardeners, Estates team and our Verey Head Gardener for the planting and landscaping that you see around Bench I.

Like what you see?

You can find other sculptural benches by contemporary artists in the Surrey Hills AONB landscape through Surrey Hills Arts’ Inspiring Views series of permanent installations. More information can be found at www.surreyhillsarts.org