Virtual bench

February 22, 2006 6:08 AM

Virtual bench in London?

Someone just asked me: "Have you heard anything about a virtual bench in London, somewhere where you can sit and apparently communicate with someone sitting on the same bench in another part of the world?" They are sure it exists but don't know any more details than that. Any one heard of such a project?

posted by ninebelow to Technology (9 answers total)

Are they thinking of the internet enabled park bench in Bury St. Edmunds?
posted by Cuppatea at 6:40 AM on February 22, 2006

This definitely rings a bell with me, but I can't find anything online about it...
posted by chrismear at 6:42 AM on February 22, 2006

Response by poster: There is a rogue "l" in Cuppatea's link, it should point here. I don't think this is quite what they were looking for but it is interesting nontheless.
posted by ninebelow at 7:14 AM on February 22, 2006

Fabrica in Brighton did an exhibition where you could feel the footfalls of people in Vienna (I think) as you walked across a wooden path.
posted by katiecat at 7:48 AM on February 22, 2006

London? Not sure.

Oxford? Maybe.
posted by grabbingsand at 7:52 AM on February 22, 2006

Best answer: Might have been Park Bench TV, although the actual TV portal seems to have disappeared.
posted by medium format at 8:24 AM on February 22, 2006

Content Archive for Park Bench TV.
posted by medium format at 8:30 AM on February 22, 2006

Response by poster: Cheers medium format, that seems likely the most plausible culprit.
posted by ninebelow at 9:00 AM on February 22, 2006

I thought I'd heard of something like this, but can only dig up this. I'm not sure it's what I was thinking of. I remember a lecturer a few years ago talking about a bench exactly as you describe, as I remember it it was a temporary art installation. Interesting though.
posted by aisforal at 3:28 PM on February 22, 2006