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Timber? Aluminium? The answer may surprise you. Comfort sitting outdoors can depend on many factors: position, view, shelter, microclimate, social comfort and more – see our Gehl cheatsheet on how to place seats in the city. The temperature of the seat under you can also contribute. Metal, for example, is commonly thought to be hottest in summer and coldest in winter. Street Furniture Australia’s inhouse engineers ran a study, dubbed the Goldilocks Batten Project, to get to the truth. Access the full Goldilocks Report (730KB). They tested anodised, powdercoated and woodgrain aluminium, and oiled hardwood (Jarrah) battens. For comparison, they also looked at raw aluminium – a material we do not use in seats. The battens were placed in the sun, and the temperature recorded regularly. The engineers noted how …