A 2018 Introduction for Leland International, Back Bench, designed by Burkhard Vogther, embraces simplicity in its most mysterious form.

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“When you take everything else away, this is what you have left, it’s what every designer wants,” said Bruce Sienkowski, Design Director for Leland. “You have a design that uses every ounce that you have, and doesn’t leave anything behind.”

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Approaching the front of the bench, a clean aesthetic meets the eye, separate from the stanchion form of the rear leg.

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“You have this very mysterious thing going on, it’s almost as though the leg is floating,” Sienkowski said.

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The leg can be finished with any of Leland’s metal finishes to match or contrast with the seat’s color.

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“You could finish it in a way that would match the wood color or you could choose a reflective finish that would make it look like the leg was disappearing into the floor, amping up the mystery,” Sienkowski said.

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Because of its unique shape, the riddle of the configuration brings more to the table than just a piece of furniture.

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“It invites the user, the viewer, to get pulled into the story and invites them to ask themselves about how the product works,” Sienkowski said.

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Back bench Configurations

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Available in nine distinct seat segments, the bench comes in two surface options, a classic rift white oak veneer face or a 1″-thick upholstery treatment. By using metal-to-metal fastening to create different arrangements, flexibility is granted to the piece.

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The simplicity of the design comes from the holistic mold of the bench.

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“We mold this single, long piece and then cut it into wedge shapes,” Sienkowski said. “When someone has a specific space in a room they need to fill, they can incorporate this easily.”

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Between the refined park bench feel, the continuity of the design, and an adjustable glide, Back Bench is a natural addition to any office, lounge, or public space.

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“The beauty of this piece is all of the available options,” Sienkowski said. “It adds something to the space that only a design like this can.”