Pocket parks, green paths to get new, customized seating

Two hundred sets of seats will be assigned to newly-built pocket parks and greenery paths in Minhang this year, to provide rest for more than 1,300 people, according to the district's greenery and public sanitation bureau.

The allocated seats are not only an increase in number, but also are more diverse in function, such as art-themed seats to highlight the cultural aspects of the park; landscape seats to offer more comfort and better perspectives of views; as well as seats that help promote people-to-people interactions.

Art-themed seats

The green space in the northwest of the crossing between Lianhua Road S. and Yindu Road has art-themed seats that resemble lotus flowers. In Chinese, lianhua, means lotus.

Similar seats have been built in the northeast corner of the crossing between Qixin Road and the G60 Highway. They are in the shape of traditional Chinese bamboo slips.

The seats in the northwest corner of Jianhong and Shengui roads match well with their surroundings. The white and translucent stones are vivid against a golden metal backdrop. Lights are applied around their base to illuminate the night landscape and a round pad with grooves is attached to each handrail to hold coffee cups.

The seats in the northeast corner of Beiqing Highway and Jidi Road were inspired by a small percussion drum in Shanghai, an intangible cultural heritage item of the city. The surface of the drum can be dismantled to be used as a table, while its body serves as seats. The entire design encourages communication.

On both sides of Jianghua Road from the Puxing Highway to Puxiu Road, seats have been designed to be pet-friendly, with a flexible circle to hold pet leashes.