A Teeter-Totter Style Bench Invites Sitters to Find Common Ground

In the Garden of Generations in Einbeck, Germany, a playful new installation asks park goers to find equilibrium with their neighbors.

“Balance Bench” is the latest project of Berlin-based artist Martin Binder. Installed in his hometown, the interactive artwork rests on a central cylinder rather than four legs, requiring that at least two people sit on either side to level. “It cannot be used alone—it demands awareness, consensus, and cooperation between people to become a functional public space,” he says.

a bench shifts to the left as people balance on either side

Binder originally envisioned the piece, which is made of oak and powder-coated steel, to debut at a public art festival in 2021, but that event was unfortunately canceled due to COVID-19. Emerging now four years later, the minimal installation provokes questions about how the ways we gather and partake in outdoor activities have changed.

“The pandemic made us hyper-aware of proximity in public spaces,” he says. “This bench interrogates that awareness through play. It asks how we share space post-pandemic—not just physically but socially.”

In addition to its usefulness for promoting conversation and interaction among park goers, “Balance Bench” is also a less volatile version of the once-ubiquitous equipment that’s less common these days due to eye-opening safety concerns.

For more from Binder, visit his website and Instagram.

a wooden bench with a round base in the center

a bench shifts to the right as four people sit on opposite ends

a white man sits in the middle of a bench to balance the weight

a bench sits perfectly flat as people balance on either side

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