I love green

While we were in Rome, there was an event called Notte Bianca (White Night). This is a festival where many museums restaurants and shops stay open all night. One of the best parts of the night was a piazza we came across with green benches. These rectangular benches were made of standard lumber with grass as the seat cushion. They were arranged in a symmetrical pattern that was a series of benches arranged in a maze in the shape of a square. The square was offset in the piazza so each corner aligned with the center of the surrounding corresponding buildings. I loved the idea of working greenspace into a completely hardscape environment. Not only did the grass create a green presence in the piazza, but it provided a surprisingly comfortable cushion. On Notte Bianca there was limited room left to sit on the benches, and many people were even taking naps. Overall, this was a great example of a simple solution that addressed multiple issues.