Two wooden benches with green metal frames placed in front of floor-to-ceiling windows, with a green “AN Editors’ Pick” seal in the corner.

Blox Named an Editors’ Pick in AN’s 2026 Best of Products Awards

Oct 8, 2026

A Softer Side of Brutalist Design

Blox has been named an Editors’ Pick in The Architect’s Newspaper’s 2026 Best of Products Awards: Furnishings – Outdoor.

Designed by Edgar Aguilar, Blox draws on the monumental forms of Brutalist architecture to create a bench that feels substantial without relying on visible supports. Its bent steel frame achieves rigidity without gussets or crossbars, leaving the space beneath the seat open.

Warm Douglas fir softens the structure, bringing natural texture and a tactile quality to the design. Depending on the slat direction, the seat is either subtly concave or flat — two expressions of the same idea, designed for different ways of sitting and gathering.

Three ways to sit:

A woman with long hair sits on a Blox backed wooden bench indoors, wearing a white sweater, dark pants, and white sneakers. Large windows and greenery are visible in the background.

Settle in

With a backrest and optional arms, Blox becomes a place to stay awhile.

The backed bench supports longer moments of pause — reading, talking, waiting or simply taking in what’s happening around you. It works naturally in plazas, courtyards and other spaces designed for lingering.

Blox Backed Bench

A wooden bench with green metal legs is placed against a dark wood-paneled wall between two large glass windows in a modern indoor space.

Open from every side

Remove the backrest and Blox opens up to its surroundings.

With no prescribed direction to sit, the backless bench can support different ways of gathering. It’s an adaptable piece for pathways, courtyards, transit areas and open landscapes — wherever people might stop for a moment, meet someone, or decide to stay a little longer.

Blox Backless Bench

Two people sit and talk on wooden benches inside a modern room with large windows and several potted green plants.

Small footprint, big presence

Supported on one side, its substantial steel base creates a sturdy perch while leaving the space beneath the seat open. Used individually, grouped together or paired with benches, the stool creates informal opportunities to pause, perch and engage.

Blox Stool

A close-up view of a modern bench with light wood slats and green metal armrests, situated indoors by large windows.

An Idea Worth Sitting With

Blox started with a study of shape, structure, and silhouette. The result is a collection that asks something simple of public furniture: to be strong enough to last, thoughtful enough to belong, and comfortable enough to invite people to stay.

We’re proud to see that idea recognized by The Architect’s Newspaper, and even more excited to see where Blox goes next.

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