Drawing inspiration from one of North America’s most colorful cities, Equiparc and Dikini are proud to introduce their collaborative MTL Collection of site furnishings for urban landscape design projects. Marking a second collaboration between the manufacturer and designer, the MTL Collection is being unveiled during the World Design Summit in Montreal in October, with a simultaneous west coast launch during the annual American Society of Landscape Architects expo in Los Angeles.

Universal inspiration

Serving a clientele of landscape architects from across North America, Equiparc manufactures the commissioned creations of revolving designers, ensuring fresh and innovative additions to its annual site furnishings product line. Having worked with Dikini previously on ‘Dimanche’, Equiparc turned to the design firm to lead its new MTL Collection, inspired by the city of Montreal’s celebration of 375 years of rich history. From Equiparc’s perspective, it was crucial that the collection provide a solution to address planner needs for flexibility by enabling broad creative license, while delivering a rich experience for users.

“MTL is a complete collection, including benches, bistro tables, waste and recycling receptacles, planters and bike racks,” notes Nicolas Thuot of Equiparc. “Though inspired by the vibrancy and warmth of Montreal culture, the collection’s universal qualities are easily adaptable to any public space in North America.”

Combining Equiparc’s technical expertise with Dikini’s innovative urban design strategies, the MTL Collection has emerged as an efficient and affordable system for urban planners that refuses to compromise on quality and durability. A signature of Equiparc’s site furnishings, the new MTL Collection was conceived, designed and manufactured in a choice of wood, metal and plastic, rendering it suitable for any environment.

Fresh perspectives

After accepting the commission to create the new MTL Collection, Dikini faced the challenge of creating a delicate balance between the manufacturer’s vision and the needs of planners and users. The design goal was to provide planners with optimal flexibility that would empower them to create unique spaces that respect their site identities, while ensuring that users would benefit from practical solutions reflective of increasing diversity and social interaction.

“Equiparc wanted a broad range of products, with an underlying homage that reflects Montreal’s 375^th anniversary,” says Philippe Carreau, co-founder of Dikini. “The challenge was to respect that vision, but in very subtle ways that would ensure the collection’s adaptability to an entire continent.”

The result is a design focused on planner needs for public spaces, subtly infused with warmth and dynamic lifestyle influences that characterize the vibrant city. With the MTL collection, Dikini has delivered a truly modular system designed for maximum planning flexibility. Relatively simple in their aesthetics, MTL furnishings offer a formal simplicity that speaks to the needs of architects and planners, while ultimately providing users with a fresh and dynamic environment.

Empowerment through design

MTL is a modular furnishings system that enables planners to configure unique seating arrangements and material combinations. Each product is engineered with respect to the unique strengths of its material composition, resulting in a diverse collection supported by strong and durable components. By applying the strengths and character of each material when and where it really matters, MTL’s metal and wood furnishings pair together coherently. The system’s structural engineering allows for many permutations of its basic components, with interchangeable backrests, shelves and armrests that can be positioned to create continuous or alternating rows.

MTL’s formal language is entirely coherent. The collection’s plug and play approach leverages the modularity of its components, seamlessly juxtaposing closed and well-rounded shapes to provide optimal aesthetics from every angle and in every configuration. Transcending the concept of street furniture, MTL is a dynamic extension of attitude and lifestyle designed to stimulate social interaction. The collection’s unique features, including log backrests and back-to-back benches, provide an environment that invokes both chance encounters and planned gatherings.

About Equiparc

For more than 30 years, Equiparc has been manufacturing street furniture with impacts that extend well beyond their functionality, enlivening everyday life through the beautification of public spaces. Based in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Equiparc partners with reputable designers to create customizable site furniture for the finest urban environments. Combining innovative design, quality, durability and expertise, Equiparc has built a solid reputation through collaborations with top professionals in landscape architecture, industrial and urban design. The company’s use of high density wood, aluminum, hot dipped galvanized steel, powder coated paint, stainless steel anchors and ultra-resistant recycled plastic has established Equiparc site furniture as the gold standard in North America. The company’s product line has contributed to the beautification of prestigious sites including Promenade Samuel-De Champlain in Quebec City, the Quartier des Spectacles in Montreal and the Rotary Play Garden in San Jose.

About Dikini

Founded by Eugénie Manseau and Philippe Carreau, Dikini’s unique approach to  industrial design is founded in its commitment to creating sustainable, durable objects that are strongly anchored in their physical and social contexts. Working closely with manufacturers and urban project managers to create objects that contribute to the common good. Dikini’s innovative designs have earned the firm numerous accolades, including a Good Design Award from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design for its collaborative water playground design, ‘Water Journey’. In 2013, Grand Prix du Design presented Dikini with the Urban Furnishings prize in the Industrial Design category for its design of Equiparc’s ‘Dimanche’ collection.

For more information on Equiparc products, visit: www.equiparc.com

For more information on Dikini designs, visit: www.studiodikini.com