Somerset Street West – Chinatown Benches

Location: Somerset Street West, (from Preston to Booth Street) Ottawa, ON. / Completed 2013

Client: Parsons, formerly (Delcan Corporation) & City of Ottawa

Renewal of Somerset Street West through the Chinatown Business Improvement Area included streetscape furniture with custom laser-cutout graphics to celebrate the cultural identity of the neighbourhood.  The red and turquoise benches display Chinese characters offering good luck, paired with wind-blown lanterns.  The benches are oriented north and south facing the street, while the east and west wind appears to blow the lanterns. Other benches are set in recessed rose bed planters, protected from winter snow removal equipment by concrete curbs.  The new family of site furniture also included litter receptacles with floral-themed images such as bamboo, chrysanthemum, lotus, and plum blossoms to celebrate the four seasons.  These graphics were developed by Kaja Cerveny while he was with Douglas & Associates, in collaboration with the Chinatown BIA and Maglin Site Furniture.