Hailing from a small town in Ontario, Benny and Christian Zenga, founders of the Canadian design and filmmaking studio Zenga Bros, often had help from their big family of nine siblings for their creative projects. Watching one of their elder brothers skateboard, they developed an interest in the sport at a young age. Skateboarders were few in their town at the time, but their interest grew watching videos by the American company Powell Peralta; they later went on to make the 2021 film Seen Him, featuring professional skateboarder Andy Anderson. When they picked up the sport as teenagers, they realised the need for skating infrastructure in the town and built skate ramps from scrap materials. They eventually developed the town’s first community skate park and supported its fundraising initiatives. A decade later, they raised funds again and built a permanent, concrete skate park in the town.

The Canadian artists and filmmakers founded Zenga Bros in 1999 in Vancouver, Canada. Ever since its establishment, they have been creating unique community art projects from a double-decker bicycle to raised vantage points on waterbodies called the High Up Huts. The latter are compact, secluded structures built atop abandoned poles for those seeking peace, away from the bustle of the city. Harbouring love for creating such unique contraptions, Canadian designer Benny has led video campaigns for renowned companies such as Red Bull, MTV and Swatch. Christian, a University of Toronto post-graduate and an interdisciplinary artist, has developed expertise in designing sculptures and large-scale installations. Over the years, he has thoughtfully designed interactive design interventions, enlivening public spaces through culturally relevant activity zones.

Their latest project, Skate Break, is both a furniture design and a short documentary film project. It is funded by the watchmaking company Swatch, which has been organising the Swatch Nines sports event for almost two decades. The furniture designers craft a range of skateable furniture from a series of design prototypes, inviting Anderson to test and help in developing the final designs. Anderson, while demonstrating his unique skateboarding style, utilises the interventions in ways beyond the designers’ imagination, compelling them to see their conceptual designs in a new light.

The everyday furnishings, with either a push of a button or a pull of a lever, transform any environment into a playground by becoming skateable objects. Developed in 2024, the five design interventions, Lamp Ramp, Lounge Ramp, Desk Ramp, Boardroom Table and Ramper Camper, are primarily made from plywood and steel for a sturdy build that beautifully wears over time. The Lamp Ramp is a six-foot-tall floor lamp with an arched base and an oversized metal shade, which can be turned upside down by pulling a release pin. The lamp design, according to Zenga Bros, is ideal for lofty ollies and technical grind tricks. The Lounge Ramp is a convertible lounge chair that conceals release pins behind the armrests, transforming from a chair design into various ramp configurations such as quarter pipe, hip, spine and jump.

The Boardroom Table can seat up to six people and features a latch underneath the tabletop surface, which converts the table design into a pyramid ramp with a grind ledge when released. Seemingly, a simple standing desk, the Desk Ramp made of fir plywood, slides down to turn into a smooth ramp surface with the help of a level mechanism. Perhaps, the most interesting design is the Ramper Camper, a small electric truck which is transformed into a multipurpose mobile ramp, comprising a woodstove and a bookshelf to form a cosy resting space. The wings can be lowered in various ways, depending on the truck’s parking position, transforming into mini ramps, wall rides or box jumps.

Months after the launch of Stake Break, some of the pieces have found places to belong. While the Lamp Ramp lighting design adorns the studio workshop of Zenga Bros, the Desk Ramp has been donated to the local community centre. “We always treated them as art objects that ask a question instead of design objects meant for sale,” says Canadian architect Christian Zenga in a conversation with STIR, “I see them as sculptural design explorations…often living their lives through exhibitions.” Encouraging people to send over questions and inquiries their way, if any, Benny Zenga adds, “We hope that they [future projects] become conversation starters and we contribute to that exchange.” The duo reveals plans for their upcoming large-scale installations and asks one to look forward to their installation for the upcoming Swatch Nines event. “A dream would be to build a large ramp mobile, taking a trip from Vancouver to the east coast of Canada with Anderson, to meet with the communities that are seldom visited by professional skateboarders,” reveals Christian.

Dissolving the boundaries between play and design, the Zenga Bros blend functional art, sport and community engagement to transform everyday environments into dynamic spaces for movement and interaction. Drawing from their backgrounds in architecture, filmmaking and craftsmanship, they challenge conventional design, proving that any space, private or public, can be functional, aesthetic and kinetic. Projects like Skate Break exemplify their philosophy and design ethos—designs that are not just objects, but catalysts for dialogue, expression, collaboration and cultural exchange. Their journey, beyond creating artistic and innovative designs, is about fostering a shared experience with skateboarding and non-skateboarding communities alike. The designers urge one to look at the world differently, suggesting that work and play are equally integral to the way we shape and inhabit our built environments.