Colour for Gathering: Picnic Tables at Norman MacKenzie Square
Project: Picnic tables for Norman MacKenzie Square
Client: UBC Properties Trust
Location: Wesbrook Village, Vancouver
Focus: Public space, colour, gathering, community experience
A public project exploring how colour can transform everyday picnic tables into moments of welcome, joy, and connection.
In May 2026, Studio Muze was invited by UBC Properties Trust to bring colour to a series of picnic tables at Norman MacKenzie Square in Wesbrook Village.
The project was simple on the surface: transform functional picnic tables into something more vibrant, welcoming, and connected to the public life of the square.
The colour direction came from the existing visual identity of Wesbrook Village — including the colourful flags on the poles and the mural that anchors one of its major public spaces. Rather than introduce a separate palette, the tables extend a visual language already present in the environment.
The design gesture was intentionally minimal.
The UBC Properties Trust team wanted to do something more interesting than plain painted tables, but without overwhelming the square with bold colour combinations or graphic elements. So one idea was to paint only part of each table on a diagonal, almost as if the tables had been dipped in colour.
I developed that idea by exploring variations in where the diagonal began and ended — across the seats, tabletop, and table structure — and by introducing a second colour to create stronger, more dynamic combinations.
The result is a set of tables that feel connected, but not identical. Each one has its own character, while the group is held together by a shared palette and a simple graphic language.
That balance is what makes the project meaningful to me.
A picnic table is an ordinary object. People sit, eat, talk, rest, wait, and gather around it. But in a public square, even a simple object can shape the feeling of a place.
Colour can make that experience warmer, more pleasant, and more memorable.
Public projects matter to me because many people interact with them in small, everyday ways. Someone may sit down for lunch, meet a friend, watch an event, or simply pass by and notice the colour.
Not every interaction has to be dramatic to matter.
Sometimes design works quietly. It makes a place feel more cared for, more inviting, and more alive.
I’m grateful to UBC Properties Trust for inviting Studio Muze to collaborate on another public project, and for the opportunity to contribute to a space that belongs to the community.
My hope is that these picnic tables bring a little more colour, warmth, and joy to Norman MacKenzie Square — and offer people small moments of welcome and connection in everyday life.
