Norman Teague, Assistant Professor of Industrial Design, and his design studio Norman Teague Design Studios were selected to design and build eight custom benches for the Obama Foundation Presidential Center, open to the public this summer.
Norman has been working with the Obama Presidential Center for almost ten years. The benches, installed throughout the museum, are designed to offer guests moments of rest, reflection, and connection. One particularly significant location will provide visitors with a place to watch footage of President Obama’s 2015 speech “You Are America,” delivered to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the historic marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
The benches are created from walnut, a material that Norman describes as “soft but strong.” Each bench features rolling dividers that can offer extra assistance. The benches also feature a variety of dimensions of space between the dividers, a way to accommodate many types of bodies.
Congratulations to Norman and his studio!
Photo credit: Anthony Vazquez / Sun-Times
