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Visual artist Jeroen Hoogstraten focuses on people in their environment. He focuses on the question: how do you use the space around you in everyday life? And what effect does that use of space have on your relationship with other people? After graduating in 1993, Hoogstraten initially focused on exhibitions and temporary projects. Over the years, however, he has become increasingly involved in the design and implementation of art applications in public space. His work occupies the borderline between autonomous art and design.

In 2009, Hoogstraten was commissioned by Stroom Den Haag to design a bench for the Prinses Marijkeschool. He chose not to make the bench short and straight, but round. In fact, Hoogstraten came up with three circles of benches around each other. A round, thick 'dot' in the middle, surrounded by two short arms and two longer arms. The round shapes mean that waiting parents automatically start talking to each other. Moreover, the subtle differences in height of the three circles encourage children to use the benches differently. By giving each circle its own colour, the artist emphasises the differences. Around the benches, he placed markings of the four cardinal points. These are not only educational, but also refer to the many places in the world where the parents and children of this school come from.

The benches that Hoogstraten came up with for this schoolyard are not just benches. They stimulate the users of the square to relate to each other (differently).