Nu con respaldo of Santa & Cole

Designer Olga Tarrasó, Jordi Henrich
Year 1991
Architonic id 1021513

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This is a large, flat and uncomplicated platform, made of wooden strips and supported by a metal structure, with a metal or wooden backrest. The Nu bench is a classic in new urban design.

Nu, in Catalan, means «naked », i.e., without ornament to obstruct or distort its function. «As urban planners we explored the idea of a large, flat and simple platform, which would encourage sitting down. Finally, it ended up having a backrest, due to popular demand and freedom of design.» (Jordi Henrich and Olga Tarrasó)

The Nu bench, in galvanised steel and large-sized, solid and simply-shaped wood, has been in use for ten years and has already become a classic in new urban design. The metal perforated-sheet backrest scarcely interrupts its visual appearance which may stretch to the end or leave a free margin on both sides.

Its initial introduction coincided with the great boom in urban design in Barcelona and the start of the great Olympic projects. The bench was quickly integrated into the city’s urban scene and thereafter in many projects in the Iberian peninsula, in Europe and other corners of the world. It is one of the benches which has most inspired us and caused a true revolution.

It has a hot dip galvanised steel structure — like the backrest of one of the models—legs of round tubes, round disc bases and a lengthways brace welded to the upper part of the legs. The metal backrest is made of perforated sheet.

The seat —and the backrest as well in two models— is made of solid wood strips of natural missanda or red pine with high-pressure treatment. The seat is made of 7 strips. The wooden backrest is made of 4 strips and has two different lengths: 1,340 mm and 2,580 mm. The strip anchorage screws are in bichromated steel. The bench is delivered disassembled in two or three parts according to model, except when otherwise specified. Assembly instructions are provided with the bench. It is fixed to the floor by 4 bichromated steel screws per leg. It does not require functional maintenance, except if the original colour of the wood is to be preserved.