Foster + Partners chooses Escofet to develop their first urban furniture collections 

“Tiers” and “Gather” are the first families of urban furniture made with innovative concrete and designed by Foster + Partners Industrial Design in collaboration with Escofet. 

Escofet, a company part of Molins, has announced the launch of two urban furniture collections in collaboration with Foster + Partners Industrial Design, the industrial design studio within Foster + Partners, the global architecture firm founded by Sir Norman Foster. These two urban equipment collections, the first designed by Foster + Partners and included in the company’s catalog, represent a milestone in the manufacture of urban furniture made from UHPC concrete. 

The ‘Gather’ and ‘Tiers’ collections stem from the collaboration between Foster + Partners Industrial Design and the landscape and urban design teams of Foster + Partners, working closely with Escofet’s design department. These new lines of urban furniture are made from a special type of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), making them durable and elegant. Both ‘Gather’ and ‘Tiers’ are sets of urban elements consisting of seats, tables, and stools designed with UHPC-Slimconcrete®, which is characterized by its light weight, durability, sustainability, and is made from 100% recyclable materials.  

In terms of design, both collections were conceived to integrate harmoniously into urban environments, facilitate social interaction, and enable outdoor enjoyment. They are notable for being modular and versatile, aiming to make outdoor pedestrian areas more active through unique design. ‘Tiers’ and ‘Gather’ will be added to Escofet’s catalog starting in 2024. 

According to Daniel Milà, Escofet’s general manager, “this collaboration with Foster + Partners marks a milestone in Escofet’s trajectory, highlighting the infinite creative possibilities offered by concrete and reflecting our commitment to creating people-centered solutions. This collection redefines the public spaces in our cities, offering creative and functional options that meet diverse needs.” He added that “at Escofet, we aimed to activate urban outdoor pedestrian areas through a unique design that promotes interaction and versatility.” 

Mike Holland, Head of Industrial Design at Foster + Partners, stated: “We are delighted to launch our first collections with Escofet. ‘Tiers’ and ‘Gather’ provide a range of creative seating options for architects and designers, encouraging the use of outdoor spaces with their understated elegance and refined profiles.” 

The collections  

Although Foster + Partners has created other public seating elements for outdoor spaces, ‘Gather’ and ‘Tiers’ are their first urban furniture families specifically designed for UHPC-Slimconcrete®. This technology offers numerous advantages, such as light weight, durability, sustainability, and recyclability, among others. The lightweight nature of products made with UHPC-Slimconcrete® facilitates their transport and reduces energy consumption during manufacturing. Additionally, their composition is made of 100% recyclable materials, optimizing their lifecycle. 

The ‘Gather’ collection stands out for its elegant and slender profile, which branches out from the central element to form a seat and backrest. From this profile, a family of concave, convex, and linear seating modules grows, capable of generating countless sinuous, multidirectional shapes and green islands. The collection also includes two end modules with lateral closures for greater privacy and shelter. 

In contrast, ‘Tiers’ consists of a stool, a bench, a table/seat, and a high table. With different seating and standing heights, its linear modularity is achieved through its elegant and minimal elements. Each piece is composed of two thin vertical supports and a slender horizontal surface, except for the stool, which shares the same elegance but in a solid piece. 

The UHPC concrete allows for the design of extremely durable and lightweight elements with minimal structural sections due to its high resistance to compression, bending, impact, and wear. The extremely low water absorption properties of this material enhance its performance against fragmentation due to freeze-thaw cycles in harsh climates. With an expected lifespan of over 30 years, the products reflect Escofet and Foster + Partners’ commitment to innovation and sustainability. 

Alongside this project, Escofet’s R&D department is currently developing new concrete formulations, such as a new type of cement to replace traditional Portland cement; an activated cement formulated from slag derived from the incineration of urban solid waste. The company has also developed a new type of low-emission concrete for the Barcelona City Council project, PANOT SEGLE XXI, a 21st-century reformulation of the concrete used for the Panot Flor, a traditional paving tile widely used in Barcelona, which is currently being installed over 1,500 square meters on Almogavers Street, in Barcelona.

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