What makes someone stay longer in a park - or leave after five minutes? It’s often not the aesthetics or greenery - but the seating options. A study in Berlin, Germany, mapped sitting spots in three public spaces and found that seating choices dramatically change how long people stay.
At GX Outdoors, we’ve worked with councils and architects across thousands of projects - and spent over a decade designing furniture grounded in real-world research and user behaviour. This guide brings together key insights to help align your seating choices with how people use public space - balancing behavioural goals, accessibility, and placemaking.
If you’re selecting seating for a public space, this guide offers thoughtful considerations - not hard rules - to help you make more intentional, impactful decisions.
GX Outdoors Seating Installation at Doug Larsen Park, Beenleigh QLD.
Research shows that specific seating types directly influence how long people stay and how they interact in a space. Below are proven seating options linked to user behaviours and longer visits.
GX Outdoors Integra Ex Park Seat installed at The Gables Sporting Precinct, Gables NSW.
Every seating choice - from shaded benches to flexible modular configurations - influences how people use and interact in public spaces. At GX Outdoors, we apply research and end-user insights to design furniture that actively shapes how parks function - and we share those insights with our clients to help create better, more engaging public places.
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