The Frame Bench Journal

The Concept

As I walk through the narrow streets of Old Town, I’m fascinated by the old architecture. It is so dense that the roofs overlap each other, allowing dramatic sky and sunlight penetrations. Through this space battle, it is fascinating how the houses shape points where you can peek into the blue waters. They are literary framing the beautiful lake views. This became my leading concept and also inspired the name of the Frame Bench. 

Locality

There are two things I love most about my City, Ohrid: the breathtaking nature presented by Ohrid Lake, and the old Ohrid architecture. I decided to locate The Frame Bench at the intersection of the urban part and the natural surroundings, and that is the city promenade by the lake.

I wanted to make an intervention onto the existing structure in a way to enrich it and not conquer it; to create a new design that would live together with the existing one. That's how the idea of The Frame bench was born: a bench that sits on the existing low walls on the promenade and looks both ways, into nature and the city.

Choosing the materials

The old city architecture is rich in contrast: white walls are framed with dark wood elements. The angles of the wooden construction provide a dramatic experience emphasizing the beauty of the design.

I wanted to use a material that is similar to the dark traditional wood but translated into a contemporary language and that could support the design constructively. I chose a laminated wooden frame in the traditional old architecture dark brown shade. It is supported by hidden steel construction that joins the laminated frames, improves the performance and stability of the entire object. This material is also found on another building that I admire, built in the 1980s, imposing with its visible laminated wood construction, also situated by the lake. 

Musical inspiration

Our beautiful city is an eternal inspiration for many artists. I found the perfect background on my quest for the final design in the music of our Ohrid-born Cetkar who lives and works both in Ohrid and New York, mixing the local and world vibes into heavenly sounds.

Design Investigation

As I live close to the location, I took long observations on-site, paying attention to the sun and shadow periods; frequency of the space. I also took measures at several points in order to choose the right location.

There were many sketches and calculations until I achieved the final design. At first, I started shaping the frame, looking for the optimal height and proportions. The bench is modular and it is also made of modules. In the end, I spent time trying to define the width of the bench and how many modules would provide the best performance. After several iterations, I decided that the single bench is made of 9 modules- frames, and the benches in a row are made of 7 modules.

Expansion Plan

The laminated wood is also supported by hidden steel construction. Its materials and constructions are chosen and designed to withstand years of use in the public realm.

Finally, The Frame Bench is a modular object that can be used on several points by the Lake. It can also be arranged as benches in a row, creating a dynamic structure, or as one wider bench, depending on the site conditions. The original idea was to place it on the existing low stone walls, but there’s a possibility to use new base walls too. These combinations allow creating various social points. It is an urban furniture object that gives a connection between the old, traditional, and the new, contemporary. It has incorporated solar panel that provides energy for the LED light built in the frames.

The Frame Bench is a shelter from the sun during the day and a light object at night. It is designed to beautify and utilize the space by providing a relaxing place to sit, rest and enjoy the beautiful lake view.