Snøhetta’s Friendly Gesture at the Nobel Peace Center

Perhaps the best way to solve a problem is by talking it out. With this purpose in mind, Snøhetta will debut a “peace bench” at the UN Headquarters in New York as an expression of dialogue and peaceful problem solving. The anodized aluminum bench aims to unite diverse groups of people through positive discourse, a mission which parallels its design—the structure’s arc shape curves upwards on both ends, forcing users to slide closer together. It’ll be unveiled on Nelson Mandela Day (July 18), and its official title, “The Best Weapon,” references the late revolutionary’s famous quote: “The best weapon is to sit down and talk.” The bench will eventually move to the Nobel Peace Center, which commissioned the piece, and Oslo City Hall, where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded.