In 1998 the designers Dunne + Raby and Michael Anastassiades designed a collection of unique objects called 'Weeds, Aliens and Other Stories' that included this bench which they named 'Reserved'. The collection illustrated their interest in designs that explored human behaviour: each object referred to the English passion for gardening but there were also darker overtones of psychological anxiety or dysfunction. Does 'Reserved' exist for the benefit of the flowers that are protected and nurtured in it, or must they be cut down so we may sit on it? It is a playful and absurd question, but it shows that furniture design can be imbued with meanings that are independent of function. In this respect the designers of the 'Weeds…' collection are at the forefront of a conceptual design movement, designing objects that exist at the intersection of design and art, that are for contemplation as much as for use. Their works are seldom intended to be put into production, but act as a kind of commentary on design, inviting us to reconsider our preconceptions about the purpose and appearance of objects.