solid surface bench shaped like an elephant, known as ELE Bench

ELE Bench – Pews and Perches Winner

Solid Surface Bench Design

This solid surface bench is a playful concept from RAB Studio which references a delivery of 20 baby elephants to the George V Docks in 1947, the ELE Bench is a nod to this moment in history and offers visitors and Londoners the chance to sit and reflect on their surroundings. The solid surface bench uses Hanex T-500 Toffee Crunch to create the elephant’s head and trunk. Solid surface was ideal for this design as it is long-lasting, hardwearing and easily manufactured to create curved edges required for this design.

Solid Surfaces For Public Spaces

Hanex Solid Surface was perfect for this project due to several benefits:

Hanex Solid Surface is resistant to graffiti, UV and chemical damage
Non-porous and antibacterial so mould and bacteria cannot grow
Kind to the environment – 100% recycled water is used in the chemical process and recycled chips are also used to manufacture our colours, plus Hanex colours are recyclable

Explore our wide range of Hanex colours if you’re interested in using our solid surfaces for your public space.

More about the ELE Bench

Referencing an unusual delivery of 20 baby elephants to the George V Docks in 1947, the ELE-Bench helps bring to life this moment in the docks’ history for future visitors. Inspired by the gait and rhythm of the elephant’s stride pattern, this simple, colourful bench creates a striking elephant silhouette from afar. With a comfortable seat made from cork, the design offers shelter from the wind as well as space for both back-to-back seating and for multiple family members to sit together, encouraging visitors to pause in this location.

See the design process on RAB Studio’s Instagram.

The ELE bench is supported by Crafted By Design, Hanex UK and Wyliewood limited.

ELE Bench is 1 of 5 winners of the Pews and Perches Competition organised by LFA (London Festival of Architecture) and the Royal Docks Team, these benches are distributed across the Royal Docks. This is the second year that the competition has run, inviting architecture and design students, recent graduates and emerging practitioners to create playful street furniture that celebrates the Royal Docks and the communities in the area.

You can find the ELE Bench in Thames Barrier Park.