Stylobates and Epistyles

PROPOSAL FOR PUBLIC SEATING

In architecture, stylobates and epistyles are the elements that frame and support the columns and pediments of a Classical facade. The spatial grandeur and nobility of a colonnade or temple front depends immensely on the strong supporting role played by these prosaic blocks of stone.

Stylobates & Epistyles, our concept for bistro seating on Rodeo Drive, envisions these elements from antiquity taking on a new role, one that supports the robust activity and visual preeminence of Rodeo Drive as a contemporary form of the colonnade. The design acknowledges the primacy of the building façades in the scene of the street, while also understanding the cohesiveness of brand and experience made possible by well-considered and well-crafted details. To this end, the proposed seating clusters are bespoke, with a richness of materials and textures befitting the luxuriousness of Rodeo Drive.

Each seating cluster is comprised of a series of stone blocks—stylobates and epistyles—arranged to provide numerous places to sit while creating a feeling of separation and security from the vehicular traffic on the street. Potential types of stone for the blocks include travertine, granite, or other locally-sourced stones. The faces of the stones have a range of finishes: smooth on surfaces meant to be touched and rougher on other surfaces. The multiple textures of the stones create a visual interest by celebrating the inherent, varied beauty of a natural material.

In collaboration with utopiad.org