Civic Center Station
Civic Center Benches, 2004
Peter Reiquam, artist
Peter Reiquam specializes in the design and fabrication of public furnishings that are both fun and utilitarian. Reiquam has created a sleek series of four subway ‘sofas’ for the Civic Center Station platform. The benches have been constructed from a carefully considered system of durable granite slabs that relate to the station’s formal geometry. The composition of each bench provides an air of comfortable domesticity with a configuration that encourages commuters to converse with one another. The highly polished granite surface provides a pleasurable smoothness that reflects a sophisticated palette of carnelian red, sage green and jet black arranged in colorful juxtaposition.
“I have designed the benches in a modular style that relates to the formal grid of the paving tiles and the overall symmetry of the station. The pieces are sculptural and contemporary and suggest a stylized version of domestic furniture. The polished surface exposes the intricacy of the stone’s interior.”