Norway is a country that has become fabulously wealthy through oil. The 6.3mm-thick steel tubing used by that industry has here been turned to another purpose: Public seating.

Industrial designer Jens‑Egil Nysæther and architectural designer Line Mari Sørra run Lije Studio, a design firm in Oslo. They designed this friendly-looking outdoor seating system called Venture. Sections of curved and straight steel pipes, the same ones used by the oil industry, are joined and topped with curved wooden saddles.

"Inspired by proxemics, it supports both social interaction and personal comfort," the duo writes. ("Proxemics" is a term coined by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in the 1960s. It's the study of how humans use space and distance in social interactions.)

In dialogue with landscape architects, we learned that flexibility and modularity are key to integrating furniture across diverse environments. Our goal was to design a system that makes it easier for people to adapt their furniture to the spaces they inhabit.

Venture gives users freedom. With no fixed backs or directions, people can sit how and where they like—alone or together, facing in or out. The system can support small, quiet moments or larger social zones. It works as part of a larger landscape or a clear stand-alone feature.

The design lets users intuitively choose closeness or distance, making it a tool for human-centered placemaking. With its industrial form and warm wooden seating, Venture balances structural clarity with tactile appeal.