Page 53 - FDMAsia Jul/Aug 2026

DESIGN 51
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Where a designer might usually opt to manage surface
variations in a timber by introducing surface patches or
structural butterflies, Masebo saw a chance to insert a shape
into the bench that could imbue the bench with a sense of
place—a visual and textural element that could connect it to
its East London home.

Telling The Stories Of East London
To determine the narratives that would inform the benches,
Masebo collaborated with cultural curator Nate Agbetu and his
social practice Freeform to develop a body of research that
would ensure the benches exhibited a strong and meaningful The research process culminated in a workshop at the
relationship with the neighbourhoods and boroughs around Dovetail neighbourhood centre with residents of the Carpenters
V&A East Museum. Estate in Newham. Here, participants were invited to decorate
Based on direct experience of East London, a series of Masebo’s Topside Stool with their interpretations of life in

directed photo walks, Masebo and Freeform developed a bank East London.
of symbols and motifs to embed in the benches. Many of the resulting images and patterns—as well as
ideas from the conversations that were sparked around
them—found their way into the V&A East Museum benches.
Some of the inserts are rooted literal representations of
East London, including photos of residents, public sculptures
and local wildflowers. Others are abstractions—like the

outline of the river, a bollard or a signpost—or rooted in the
personal and anecdotal, such as the shapes of individual
hands, pets, or even the leaves that stained the concrete on
the Carpenters Estate.
Some are instantly recognisable, others more opaque,
allowing space for interpretation, but all are contextually
rooted in East London.
“A consideration for dialogue became a driving force in
the design process. It’s not just about who gets to make, but

whose voice is carried in the work. The aim was to invite as
many people as possible into the process and to design the
bench out of these conversations. The symbols and motifs that
are carried in the bench are a reflection of these personalised
narratives with the aim to connect with a deeper sense of
belonging,” said Andu Masebo. FDM

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