About this project
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Bespoke company The Bridge makes social, circular facade benches
De Brug vzw offers adapted and engaging work to people distanced from the labour market. Since February, they have been the proud owner of the Gevelbank brand. This is a bench made of circular wood that you can use to have a chat with your neighbours. A social and sustainable success story.
Lubricant for the neighbourhood
The façade benches are an idea of four young people from Ghent. The goal? To bring neighbours together and thus promote the social cohesion of neighbourhoods and streets. The wooden sitting board is easy to install and remove, so residents can decide for themselves when to install their gable bench. The Ghent gable benches are a great success. Meanwhile, there are already more than 1,200 of them in Belgium, the Netherlands - and even Germany.
Social and sustainable story
After six years, the inventors found the ideal buyer in Mortsel-based Maatwerkbedrijf De Brug to continue the story with the same sustainable, social vision. Since January, De Brug has been both producing and selling the gable benches. Gable bench is not only a social but also a sustainable story. They are produced entirely within the bespoke company. The plank is made from reclaimed wood that De Brug buys from social economy organisations, such as the Antwerp circular construction company Buurman and Atelier Circuler from Herent. And for the cushions and covers, De Brug uses residual materials.
