Students walking through Fellows Garden, between the Shapiro Campus Center and the Shapiro Science Center, this past week may have noticed the appearance of some new benches.

The yellow, wooden benches are a design called "Trapecio," which is produced by Landscape Forms, a Michigan-based company which designs outdoor furniture and installations.

According to Vice President for Planning and Institutional Research Dan Feldman, the benches are the latest installment in the Facilities department's initiative to increase informal social gathering places around campus, particularly outdoors.

Feldman said that these efforts grew out of feedback received this summer by the Facilities and Campus Evolution strategic planning task force, of which he is a member. Several students participated in the discussions, he said. From the feedback, Feldman said the task force perceived a desire for more spaces such as these.

While Feldman said the benches were "not inexpensive," he could not provide an exact figure relating to their cost. Associate Vice President for Facilities Services Peter Shields was unable to be reached for comment Monday night.

Feldman said the team of himself, Shields and Senior Vice President for Administration Mark Collins decided to place the benches in Fellows because of its status as "prime real estate on campus" which was not being maximized.

Brandeis is "a pretty special environment architecturally," said Feldman, and they wanted to maintain that character with the addition of some unusual or "funkier" benches.

Other areas where there have been additions of benches or small tables this semester include the plaza in front of Goldfarb Library, the path that cuts across the Great Lawn and the area between Fellows and the Gryzmish administration building.

-Tate Herbert