In junior high jazz band, my best friend and I chose to be 3rd trumpet. We did not get ranked as such, it was simply by choice. No one understood – no even the over-achieving, blow-her-brains-out trumpeter who lived and breathed Dizzy Gillespie – but we knew that by choosing the number three spot, we could do it flawlessly. Though this isn’t the way to live a fruitful life, perhaps Floris Wubben had the same thought process when naming the beautiful No.3 bench.

No.3 bench. Designed by Floris Wubben.

Combining Wood, Metal and Solid White Polypropylene, the No.3 Bench by Floris Wubben Demands Compromise.

Like a serpentine creature, the rolling look of the white polypropylene material down the back of the No.3 bench challenges us to wonder how in the world it stays put. But with the use of a thick branch from a fallen tree as its structural support underneath and metal rods attaching the two together in a sturdy companionship of living and man-made, the No.3 bench is a shapely seat that follows Wubben’s uniform look of bright white and wood.

Based in the Netherlands, Studio Floris Wubben works on objects that “will not directly be related to functional objects, but rather (are) viewed as sculptural objects”. Although I’m not certain that means I can sit on the No.3 bench for more than a moment without worrying about this function vs. sculpture statement, I respect the use of various materials used, and the look of a sterile, cold white with the warmth of wood beneath.

As Floris Wubben states of her seating, shelving, and decorative designs, they “enable furniture and nature to co-operate together into ultimate harmony. One uses the other, since they need each other to create the whole and final design.”

About the Designer: Floris Wubben is a Dutch company that uses applied materials and a dedication to nature in every seating and furniture design. The goal of Studio Floris Wubben is to use uncommon materials in ways that are are not typically seen in order to transform the way we see them, or as she says “we focus on diminishing prejudices and on giving these materials a new face.” Whether it is seating, shelving, lighting, or other – the designs by Floris Wubben cause us to ponder the essence of design which respects and works together with our natural environment.