The result of collaborating with Hein is an unusual piece of site furniture, which serves a tripartite function as seating, play structure, and public art all rolled into a park bench.

Dubbed the “Bench of Expectation,” the installation also references the whimsy of one of Springfield’s favorite sons: Theodor Seuss Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss). The bench’s sculptural form—made up of elongated winding forms, sharp bends, and loops—recalls the famous imaginary landscapes created by the children’s book author and illustrator.

Constructed from aluminum, the bench's long, flat, and undulating segments twist and turn to accommodate conventional sitting in some spots, while also encouraging reclining and play in others. Its ribbon-like shape occupies approximately 650 square feet. According to Kroll, Hein used its playful Seuss-inspired elements to build ease between strangers and create space in which they can communicate.

Amid the resort’s 760,000 square feet, the bench, a permanent installation, stands out. Hein’s first public art in the U.S., it has already become one of MGM Springfield’s most recognizable features, adding wayfinding to its list of functions. “It is a visual anchor as well as an interactive focal point and meeting place,” says RAREculture vice president Elle Lachow ticking off the attributes of Hein’s creation. As Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat character might say, “It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how.”

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