Niu is an urban element with the apparent formal simplicity of a concrete ring that in actual fact conceals its considerable functional versatility as a flower box, seat, tree guard and a sandbox for children. It has a slightly inclined layout and when installed in groups, it creates a set of variable reflections in the sunlight.
Niu was originally designed to provide tiny oases in which to relax in barren areas, and read in the shade of a tree without the need to execute complex civil engineering work. Niu is supplied in the form of a closed circular ring with a diameter of 230 cm and also in the form of two halves, that surround an existing tree. The larger Niu Oval model is also supplied in two oval halves to facilitate transportation and handling.
They take on the appearance of large lily pads that spontaneously form nuclei and dispersions in space. The changes in inclination of the upper plane add an extremely suggestive compositional dynamism with the changing reflection of the sunlight. Above all, Niu is an element that reconciles urban space, seeking to relate to users and inviting them to interact with it.
The Niu flower box is made of reinforced concrete with an etched water-repellent finish and is supplied in the Escofet standard chart colours. Self-standing, with no need for anchors.