Spencer litter bin range combines contemporary styling with adaptable design

Key to creating and maintaining attractive outdoor spaces is the provision of facilities for users to dispose of their litter and recycle with ease. Incorporating litter bins within contemporary public realm design, however, need not mean compromising on aesthetic ambitions thanks to the Spencer range from Artform Urban.

Designed by multi-award-winning Italian entrepreneur Alfredo Tasca, the Spencer litter bin brings contemporary styling to any streetscape, development or public space. It is available in a number of different designs and materials which enable litter and recycling collection to be integrated into the public realm design without taking the form of more utilitarian bins.

Ten styles are available in the Spencer range, which are designed to perfectly complement the other street furniture elements available from Artform Urban, such as planters, bollards, cycle stands and seating.

Choice of adaptable shapes

The Spencer litter bin range includes various shapes which can all be customised to suit the exact requirements of the site.

The Spencer C provides an elegant cylindrical style, with versions of this shape also available with twin lateral holes (the CP) and complete with a vertical stand (the CPP). A timber-clad cylindrical option is available with the Spencer W.

An elliptical shape comes with the Spencer E, while the Spencer Q and CPQ offer a square design and the Spencer R is rectangular. Two more unusual shapes give additional creative potential for the litter bin design, with the Spencer T taking the form of a truncated-pyramid steel structure and the TC a truncated cone.

Blended form and functionality

One thing that is consistent across all ten of the Spencer litter bin options is practicality. The bins may often be designed to allow for their presence in the public realm to be more subtle, but accessibility and user appeal is always maximised through an ability to tailor the design for the application and anticipated use.

The bins can be specified to incorporate ashtrays and openings can be located either on the side or centrally. Decals can be added too, offering the scope to incorporate branding or messages to encourage use of the bins.

There is also the Spencer Dog litter bin option which is equipped with an external container for a bag dispenser.

Materials and finishes

Another appealing aspect of the Spencer is its range of materials and finishes. Depending on the variant, specifiers can choose from an extensive list of options for the bin’s external metal appearance or cladding.

All ten options, with the exception of the Spencer W, are available in three metal finishes. Firstly, they can be powder coated to the highest quality standards in accordance with EN ISO 12944-2 to offer a durable, long-lasting colour finish. A wide range of standard RAL colours is available and the powder coating can also be delivered with a wrinkled finish in different levels of texture.

An alternative to powder coating is stainless steel with a brushed or electropolished finish. As with other products from Artform Urban, the Spencer litter bin can be supplied in AISI 304 or 304L stainless steel, with the option of AISI 316 stainless steel for locations with highly aggressive conditions.

Finally, for the metal options, there is Corten steel. This “living” material changes over time and is particularly attractive because of its non-uniform appearance with shades and colours that vary across every product and location. Artform can also offer an anti-washout coating for corten which is an effective option for sealing the corten to reduce leaching.  

And where the public realm design seeks to maximise the use of natural materials, the Spencer W litter bin is ideal. This cylindrical bin combines a steel structure with a shaped wood cladding, available in hardwood or larch.

The go-to litter bin for prestigious developments

The Spencer range is suitable for use across many different applications in sectors ranging from parks and gardens to education and mixed-use schemes.

In Manchester, Spencer litter bins were specified for the Castle Wharf development, a contemporary residential development in the heart of the Castlefield Conservation Area. With timber being a prominent material used throughout the scheme, the Spencer litter bin clad in premium quality hardwood timbers provided the ideal solution for terrace areas and entrances to buildings.

Another project in Staffordshire demonstrates the styling versatility of the Spencer litter bins. The landscaping brief for the Harper & Keele Veterinary School development sought to utilise street furniture that would complement the new building's distinctive raw umber colour. Here, the Spencer T litter bin finished in a Corten steel finish met the brief perfectly.

Additional creative potential is illustrated through the Spencer litter bin’s selection for the Republic London at East India Dock development, where grey powder-coated Spencer R bins, complete with decals, were specified. And at nearby Dane’s Yard – Sugar House Island, 23x Spencer CPQ litter bins with a stainless steel finish were installed.

Find out more about the Spencer litter bin range here.