Neal's yard: Urban Picnic bats for Britain

London – The city’s Rurbanites will spread out their gingham blankets this weekend as large-scale urban picnics pop up in east London. As part of the Great British Weekend commission from arts bursary scheme The Vauxhall Collective, furniture maker Gareth Neal has designed a collection of picnic toys and outdoor furniture that will transform city spaces into the perfect places for picnicking.

Created with the use of 3D computer drawing, Neal’s birch ping-pong bats, park benches and perching logs feature intricate patterns characteristic of traditional woodworked Tunbridge ware from the 18th and 19th centuries. A triumphant mix of modern technology and age-old craft, the finished pieces fit perfectly into the Rurban Revolution.