When you think of elemental forms, what actually comes to mind? The pure geometry of circle, square, and rectangle? The organic icons of tree, river, and wind? How about the man-meets-nature conflux of a rock quarry? For it’s this latter entity that inspired designers Bruce Sienkowski and Will Oltman to create the Quarry Bench Series. Manufactured by Leland International, this versatile assortment of modular bench seating evokes  sheer surfaces of mined rock.

Quarry bench. Designed by Bruce Sienkowski and Will Oltman. Manufactured by Leland International.

Leland International’s Quarry Seating Encourages Active Collaboration

But that doesn’t mean there’s anything perilous about Quarry. Quite the contrary, the several different modulations of Quarry each offer an efficient, ergonomic, and comfortably collaborative seating experience: “The symmetrical shapes work well for seating, and by configuring the pieces, one can create spaces with very organic, natural feels.”

The basic design element is the cube, though this is a shaved cuboid, as it were, the sides meeting at slightly acute angles in a way that evokes processed walls of rock. The approach has resulted in a series of differently-sized benches, each with a jaunty, lively aesthetic. The slight inclines (or declines, depending on how you choose to sit) not only give Quarry a pronounced character, but also an amiable interactive quality.

As Leland points out, the many sides of Quarry prompt quick and easy collaboration—circle them round for breakout sessions; team them up in twos for a quick seat/table combo; or line them up in a crenellated row for TV watching or other casual residential pastimes.

Options for Quarry include upholstery by Brentano, Camira, Carnegie, C.F. Stinson, and others; glides in standard polycarbonate or felt; and workstation perks like tablet arms, power modules, and privacy screens.

About the Manufacturer: Founded in 1993 by Tim Korzon, Leland International is fast approaching 20 years of creating design-focused furniture, “with products aesthetically simple in their design and functionally strong.” The company’s debut product—the Marquette Chair, circa 1993—established Leland International’s mandate for high quality craftsmanship and attention to detail. The company’s recent Quarry Bench earned Best of NeoCon Gold Honors for Bench Seating.