The Big Bench must be constructed in a panoramic and contemplative location, and must be freely accessible to the public. It must be set apart from religious buildings, graveyards, monuments, protected buildings, roads, children’s playgrounds, private residences. It is not required to be able to reach the Big Bench by car, a short walk to reach it is even better! It is however important to indicate an adequate parking area in the vicinity, since there can be up to a hundred visitors a day! Access to the bench must be free and unhindered 24/7.
“We at the BBCP are very attentive to the historic sensitivity of many proposed sites. An attractive location for tourists to appreciate the cultural beauty of an area and community is not necessarily compatible with ease of access or contextual limitations. We hope the people looking for a Big Bench discover your area while they hunt for it, instead of ignoring the beauty of the area because a big colored bench in the middle distracts them. Please be aware that the growing popularity of the big benches is not due to their obvious placement as advertisement but due to their authentic and natural integration into the landscape.” – CB
The Big Bench must be constructed using voluntarily donated funds or manpower; no public funding (neither municipal, nor Italian, nor European Community’s) is admitted. The construction of the Big Bench can be entrusted to any competent craftsman (the BBCP does not “sell” benches) following the blueprints we will provide after having approved the intended location and once the administrative procedure has been completed. We can suggest the names of craftsmen that have already constructed Big Benches in the past, but the choice is up to you!
The Big Benches can be financed through the activities of local associations or committees, also through crowdfunding and private donations. Unity is strength!
We try to make each bench unique, and due to the number of Big Benches, we have determined that there can be two-color benches (iron structure in one color, wooden seat in another). You suggest the colors you prefer from the RAL swatch book; we will verify that there aren’t any other identical Big Benches and confirm it.
However, no patterns, no rainbow colors, no sport-teams’ colors, no natural materials, no stains are admitted.
A customized carving on the front of the Big Bench is optional, but we would like to udiscuss the option with you; in any case logos or references to private companies are not permitted. Since the message of the Big Benches is another, please do not propose “Commemorative” Benches, nor dedications to Associations and causes.
If you wish to install a plaque crediting all those who contributed to building the Big Bench, you are free to do so on the back of the Big Bench or on a descriptive board next to it.
BBCP will issue a personalized stamp for each new completed bench. The promoters of a Big Bench must select at least one business in the immediate vicinity (a bar, cafè, restaurant, shop) interested in acquiring the stamp and using it to stamp the Big Bench Passport of any visitor that requests it. The opening hours of this location must cover (even only partially) the weekend. There is no maximum limit of places in the area that can offer this stamping service, but there has to be at least one. The businesses that agree to join the project must commit to sell the passports at the imposed price and reorder them when out-of-stock by writing to the mail: assistance@bigbenchcommunityproject.org
As already specified above, BBCP does not sell or supplies Big Benches, but often we are asked what the approximate cost to face is: a finished Big Bench costs around 5.000 €, we know that only the material (meaning the welded structure, the wooden boards, the paint) is around 2.000/2.500 €, all VAT excluded. If you don’t know how to finance it, look for local sponsors (companies, organizations, business owners, private donations) and ask local craftsmen (blacksmiths, carpenters, sawmills, paint factories) to help you contain the costs by supplying you with the materials at cost price or similar, in the interest of the community.
And that’s how many BB have been constructed.
Chris Bangle’s “BIG RED BENCH #1” is an art installation that duplicates the shape of a typical park bench, but out of scale. So far, numerous benches have been constructed in the Langhe, Monferrato and Roero areas of Piedmont, but new requests are being made to expand to new locations, both in Italy and abroad.
Are you a “Promoter” (private citizen or municipality) and want to propose the installation of a Big Bench in your town? Read carefully what follows:
The procedure to construct your own Big Bench is as follows:
- fill out the form available on this website;
- upload at least 4 photographs of the proposed location including a photo of the panorama, a photo of the land on which it will be placed with pickets and tape indicating the specific location (approximately 3.50 x 1.80 meters, plus 2 meters minimum unobstructed space on each side);
- a 360° video filmed from the precise proposed location of the bench showing everything you can see from the installation point (do not attach links to general videos, nor videos made with drones because they are not helpful and your request would not be processed);
- a jpg format satellite image of the precise location of the bench (a screenshot from Google Maps is acceptable), a description of available parking and a description of the proposed access route;
- if the form is filled out correctly, we will process your request and reply within a working month (we may approve it, or ask for further information or possible modifications); when the location has been approved, we will send you a contract that must be signed and returned to us, together with all the attachments required, among which the economic contribution for the starter kit that includes the BBCP information board, road signs, stamps and passports, in variable quantity according to the chosen contribution, which ranges from 580 € to 1.390 € (details will be provided in the contract);
- once we have received the signed contract and the bank transfer, we will send you the hardcopy construction blueprints by post (we do not send them via email, nor in any digital format);
- you can build your Big Bench with the aid of any competent craftsman. If you do not know who to contact, we can give you some references;
- build the Big Bench, set its base and send us pictures at least 15 days before the inauguration date, so that we can send you the stamps and passports in time for your event;
- enjoy your Big Bench and promote the territory!
