Abril

ABRIL is produced in reinforced cast stone. Its weight permits direct, anchor-free installation on the ground, as if its body had come to rest there. The beauty of this bench is concealed in the illusion of its apparent simplicity. It is construed as a frame with a minimum slab depth that contrasts with thickness of its props, emphasising the large span between them. ABRIL was the first design by architects Cruz-Ortiz for Escofet, which they later completed with MAYO and JUNIO, and then finally with MAYO CIRCULAR. During this period, which coincided with Barcelona´s nomination as an Olympic city, other outstanding work produced for Escofet included SÓCRATES by architects Garcés-Soria´s and BARANA, by MBM. ABRIL opened the way for a new generation of neutral, abstract elements for universal use, which ultimately became basic vocabulary for the construction of a hitherto unknown language. These are self-explanatory elements. They focalize, punctuate, situate and organize space. They relate well to the land and the horizontal plane. This collection is clearly able to integrate into the urban environment without imposing, while at the same time expressing its desire for permanence through its material condition. These designs are rigorous and simple in their formulation, but universal in their application.