A bold, architectural bench crafted from solid wood.

  • Industry
    Furniture
  • Product
    Looper Bench
  • Date
    2016-2017

The Looper Bench is a continuous wooden loop constructed of solid maple. It was designed at Michael Graves Architecture and Design for David Edward.

The Looper Bench was designed to pay homage to one of Michael Graves iconic architectural elements, the keystone, the central component of an arch.  Like a keystone, the Looper Bench performs the task of supporting people and objects. The Looper Bench can be extended for a longer bench or shortened for an accompanying accent or coffee table.

Role: While at Michael Graves, I assisted in the development of this furniture series by sketching, 3D modeling, and rendering this bench with direction from MGA&D Principal Donald Strum.

The Keystone.

The Looper Bench is built from solid hardwood and is available in all standard wood finishes. Different sizes nest together.

From All Angles.

The Looper bench is a spiraling mobius loop, a graceful spiral that repeats each turn with precision. Available in several lengths and multiple finish options, the geometric shape defines its form.

In the wild

Different sizes nest together. Looper's section view is a keystone shape, a quiet reminder of stability and strength.

Development

The idea remained true to the original concept throughout development—no easy task. Keeping the shape accurate to the original vision required solving many construction challenges.

Details

To create a true spiral out of wood, many individual planes had to meet at precise angles. Note the triangular transitions across the top edge's vertices.

Sizes

The bench comes in loops of two, five, and seven to seat one, two, or three people.

Looper is a thoroughly modern bench that feels at home in museums, galleries, and lobbies. The unique  design elevates any space.
The polished wooden top was designed to reflect its surroundings, helping it blend in further.
The Looper Bench was launched by David Edward at Neocon 2018. I was fortunate to be able to attend the event in Chicago and enjoy the final design in person.


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