Corona Crisis Kruk is a bench with a handle designed for social distancing by Dutch design firm Object Studio to let users sit together while staying apart.
The piece of lightweight street furniture has been shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2020 in the seating design category.
Corona Crisis Kruk is two stools connected by a beam
Object Studio created Corona Crisis Kruk to help people adapt to life following government guidelines for the coronavirus pandemic.
Corona Crisis Kruk is formed of two kruk ? stools in Dutch ? joined together by a beam with a handle in the middle. The furniture is made from CNC-milled birch plywood pieces that slot and screw together.
A handle in the middle means it can be picked up and moved
It can be picked up and moved, then placed anywhere for two people to sit while remaining 1.5 metres apart. "When the coronavirus hit the Netherlands in March this year, the Dutch government responded by setting new guidelines for its people to strictly refrain from touching others, and remain distant from each other," said Object Studio founder Björn van den Broek.
"We all had to behave differently from what we were used to," he added.
Sitters on the bench must keep 1.5 metres apart
People in the Netherlands were instructed to stay 1.5 metres apart from others in public.
"I live right next to the Noorderpark in Amsterdam, and from my house, I can easily see the park visitors passing by. I saw the struggle happening and recognised my own ...