The Strategic Value of Quick Wins in Public Space

Maximum Impact with Minimal Invasion

Quick wins in public space are targeted, strategic interventions that activate existing infrastructural structures without the need for invasive civil works or new foundations. By installing modular add-on seating elements on retaining walls and concrete edges, high-quality meeting and resting places can be created in a very short time, delivering clear added value for policy, management and design. This approach increases stay quality and encourages social interaction, while keeping the impact on the surroundings low and avoiding large-scale construction sites

For cities and municipalities, this offers a way to achieve visible improvements quickly within the existing spatial context. These interventions do not alter the structure of the space itself, but reinforce what is already there. Existing urban mass is repurposed as a carrier for new forms of use, comfort and encounter, without disrupting the character or legibility of the place.

In practice, this translates into a fast intervention with minimal disruption. Installation is typically completed within a single working day, without prolonged nuisance for residents or users. Because the work is carried out on existing structures, risks remain manageable and permitting processes are simplified. For maintenance teams, this results in a solution that remains inspectable, easy to maintain and aligned with the lifespan of the underlying infrastructure. The outcome is a comfortable seating solution that works not only today, but remains manageable in the long term.

Quick Wins as a Catalyst for a Liveable City

Within urban policy, quick wins function as a strategic instrument to improve public space step by step. They make it possible to respond quickly to changing patterns of use, societal expectations and local needs, without having to wait for large-scale redesigns that often require years of preparation. This creates room for experimentation, learning and adjustment based on actual use.

For policymakers, the added value lies in the combination of speed and flexibility. Quick wins allow tangible improvements to be delivered within a single political term, while still fitting within a broader long-term vision for the city. They are not an end point, but a deliberate first step in a phased development of places to stay and meet.

By activating existing locations rather than completely redesigning them, budgets can be used more efficiently and public support among users and stakeholders grows. What starts today as a light intervention can evolve into a structural component of a future-proof public realm, where use quality, management and policy reinforce one another.

From Existing Structure to a High-Quality Place to Stay

In many cities and municipalities, public space is built around robust but often underused infrastructural structures. Retaining walls, edges and technical borders are usually designed from a purely functional perspective, not with comfort or staying in mind. Yet these elements strongly shape how a square or park is experienced. By equipping this existing mass with ergonomic add-on seating elements, their role shifts from a cold barrier to an inviting place to pause.

This transformation requires no demolition or new foundations. The existing structure acts as a solid base, while the added seating layer introduces warmth and social value, often realised within a single working day with minimal impact on the surroundings. Importantly, these interventions immediately feel finished. Not as temporary fixes, but as recognisable urban furniture, using materials and finishes that are familiar and accepted in the public realm.

Tactical Urbanism as a Tool for Proactive Policy

Tactical urbanism is based on the philosophy of small, targeted interventions that immediately influence and improve how space is used. Instead of waiting for final, static redevelopments, this approach gives cities room to experiment, observe and adjust in a timely manner. Add-on seating elements play a key role in this strategy, as they allow authorities to quickly test where citizens actually need places to rest or meet.

This provides policymakers with direct feedback from real-world use, without committing to irreversible interventions. What proves successful can later be scaled up or integrated into a permanent design, making this approach particularly suitable for station areas, school routes and healthcare campuses in transition. For many decision-makers, this is also a realistic way of working: adjusting based on observed behaviour, rather than planning for years before being able to respond.

From Cold Infrastructure to Ergonomic Seating Comfort

Not every concrete edge invites people to stay. Real comfort only emerges through a considered focus on seating height, tactile materials and ergonomic support. Our add-on seating elements translate raw infrastructure into a high-quality seating experience, intelligently using existing height differences rather than correcting them.

The variety within modular add-on systems allows for different types of use, from individual seats that offer quiet rest to continuous benches that encourage social interaction. The strategic addition of backrests and armrests also serves older users and people with reduced mobility, immediately increasing inclusivity and overall accessibility without compromising the legibility of the original infrastructure.For policymakers, it is reassuring that these solutions rely on familiar, proven materials. Wood and steel feel intuitive, look solid and are logically accepted in maintenance practice, precisely because they have demonstrated their value in urban furniture for decades.

Circular Value and Social Return on Investment

Sustainable management of public assets starts with making the most of what already exists. Upcycling existing retaining walls into fully functional places to stay fits within a circular vision where adding value takes precedence over demolition or replacement. These hybrid solutions reduce material impact while simultaneously improving thermal comfort for users, as wood on concrete feels warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

For policy and maintenance teams, this results in a high social Return on Investment. Active seating areas increase social control and contribute to a stronger sense of safety. Visible results are achieved within a short timeframe, while the modular nature of the elements ensures low maintenance costs and a long functional lifespan. These are precisely the kinds of interventions that make a tangible difference in practice: visible, manageable and defensible in terms of public value.

Applicable Across a Wide Range of Contexts

This strategy can be applied in a wide variety of settings. On village squares, it strengthens the staying function without compromising openness. In parks and green areas, it turns natural edges into usable resting points. In school environments and healthcare sites, it creates accessible meeting places along pedestrian routes. In transit environments such as station forecourts or stops, it responds to the need for short stays without hindering circulation.

In residential areas and shared outdoor spaces, these interventions also add clear value. By activating existing walls and edges, low-threshold seating emerges that encourages interaction without disrupting the character of the surroundings. For residents, this means increased comfort and usability in their immediate living environment, with solutions that integrate quietly and feel safe for all ages.

In professional settings such as office areas, campuses and retail zones, these seating solutions contribute to stay quality and informal interaction. They offer employees and visitors comfortable places for short breaks or meetings, without compromising a professional appearance. Careful detailing and integration on existing structures result in a calm, orderly image that aligns with contemporary working and visitor environments.

By making smart use of existing structures, the space remains legible and easy to oversee. The universal applicability of these solutions ensures that a limited set of modular elements can address a wide range of urban challenges.

From Quick Win to Long-Term Vision

Although these interventions are often deployed as rapid improvements, they are not detached from a broader vision for public space. On the contrary. They frequently form the first step in a phased development, where use and experience guide future investments. By investing today in tactical solutions, cities and designers gather valuable insights for tomorrow. Public space is thus not only designed on paper, but also through use. This enables policymakers to make well-founded decisions for permanent redevelopment. What starts as a quick win becomes a thoughtful, data-informed beginning of a sustainable urban transformation.