Hügel (German word for 'hill') draws on two themes to link itself and the user to Stuttgart, the bank itself and the customer / user directly.
Inspired by the Porsche museum sculpture, the tubular steel legs are arranged in 'V' shapes at seemingly disparate angles are designed to be reminiscent of tree branches thus making the 'branch' - 'bank' connection but serve another purpose. They stand to remind the user of how a tree is defined more by it's collection of branches than about one individual branch.
The co-operative nature of Sparda is what makes it so unique. Sparda is the sum of it's collective parts, the customers, this setup seeks to remind users that no single support bears all the weight; Sparda IS the customers.
The levelled, sloping shape makes a subtle reference to the hills for which Stuttgart is famed for, an unusual feature for German cities of it's size. In addition the multiple levels are not only practical -being designed for the largest range of users possible- but make reference to the range of sums of investment that each customer has in the co-operative. The single body at different levels shows that while your share may be relatively small, you are just as important to the prosperity of the bank as everyone else.
The acrylic 'filler' allows light to pass more easilly through the bench to give it a lighter feel.
