The CORE Collection represents a bold leap in urban design, bridging the gap between industrial permanence and modern adaptability. At its heart, the collection pairs the architectural weight of cast concrete with vibrant, ergonomic seating surfaces that redefine the landscape of public spaces.
The true genius of CORE lies in its modular "Plug & Play" surface system. While the concrete foundations are built to withstand the elements for a lifetime, the seating panels are designed for total flexibility. These surfaces are bolted securely to the core, allowing them to be swapped out effortlessly to refresh a color scheme, adapt to new branding, or replace components that have aged or been damaged over time.
By separating the structural base from the contact surface, CORE offers a sustainable and cost-effective solution for city planners and architects. Rather than replacing an entire bench, individual panels can be updated in minutes, ensuring the installation remains pristine and contemporary for decades. Whether you are looking for a pop of energetic color or a more subdued aesthetic, CORE provides a permanent foundation with a flexible future.
CORE Lounge
The CORE Lounge is a sculptural centerpiece designed for deep comfort and high visual impact. Its angled concrete base provides a grounded, monumental feel, while the sweeping ergonomic top offers a surprisingly fluid seating experience. By wrapping the vibrant, replaceable panel over the architectural "V" of the stone, the chair transforms a cold material into a warm, inviting destination for relaxation. It is the perfect solo anchor for modern plazas or quiet retreat corners.
CORE Bench
The CORE Bench serves as the definitive anchor for communal spaces, offering an expansive and durable seating solution that balances architectural scale with modern refinement. Its elongated, solid concrete base provides an unshakeable foundation, while the continuous, vibrant seating panel creates a seamless flow of comfort for multiple users. Designed to foster social interaction in high-traffic urban environments, this piece demonstrates the perfect marriage of heavy-duty performance and sleek, contemporary aesthetics.
CORE Stool
The CORE Stool is the most compact and versatile member of the collection, designed to provide flexible seating in any configuration. This solid concrete cube features the signature "wrapped" seating surface, held securely by industrial-grade bolts. Whether used as a singular perch for quick rest, grouped together to create a social cluster, or paired with the larger CORE Bench as a side table, its geometric simplicity and bold color contrast make it a functional landmark in any architectural setting.
CORE Block
The CORE Block is the collection’s most streamlined element, designed as a backless communal bench that emphasizes linear purity. This piece features a long, monolithic concrete base topped with a sleek, wrap-around seating surface that extends the full length of the unit. Its low profile makes it an ideal choice for open-concept plazas where maintaining sightlines is essential. Like the rest of the collection, the upper panel is easily replaceable, allowing for endless customization and ensuring the piece remains a vibrant part of the urban fabric for years to come.
CORE Duo
The CORE Duo is a versatile, double-sided bench designed to maximize seating capacity in open-concept environments. By utilizing a central concrete spine, this piece offers comfortable seating on both sides, making it the ideal choice for wide boulevards, airport terminals, or spacious museum galleries.
The symmetrical design encourages multi-directional social interaction while maintaining the collection's clean, architectural silhouette. Because the seating surfaces are independent, you have the unique ability to mix and match colors on either side or replace one panel at a time to manage wear and tear in high-traffic zones. This dual-access approach transforms a single structural footprint into a highly efficient social hub that serves the flow of people from every direction.
CORE Metro
The CORE Metro reimagines the high-pressure environment of underground transit as a space of calm, industrial elegance. Specifically engineered for the unique constraints of subway platforms, this model features a slimmed-down concrete profile to maximize passenger flow while maintaining the collection's signature indestructible foundation.
Designed for the rapid turnover of commuters, the seating surface is angled for a supportive "perch" rather than a deep lounge, encouraging efficient movement without sacrificing comfort. The vibrant, replaceable tops are particularly valuable in a transit context, allowing stations to use color-coding for wayfinding—assigning specific hues to different lines or zones. These surfaces are fire-retardant and anti-graffiti, ensuring that even in the most high-traffic tunnels, the CORE Metro remains a clean, bright, and welcoming beacon for travelers.
Technical Specifications
The base is designed in concrete, chosen specifically for its high-mass stability and resistance to environmental wear, which eliminates the need for complex ground-anchoring systems and long term change. I am conscious of the logistical limitations of high-density materials. To address this, I've explored using Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete. GFRC allows for much thinner cross-sections compared to traditional cast concrete, which significantly reduces the overall weight while maintaining structural strength. This choice makes the pieces more feasible for international shipping and easier to install on-site. I addressed cost constraints by designing the form to be cast in a reusable mold system, ensuring a low per-unit price point. The drainage slopes and the radius of the edges, were refined to meet public safety standards.
CORE
a concept by Collin LEWIN.
