One of those things that instigates the smacking of oneself on the forehead with one's own open palm is when one witnesses the intentional manipulation/degradation of rational thought. The below image is of a public bench installed along Lee Road as part of the streetscape improvements. The bench itself is constructed of a steel frame with ipe wood for the bench seats and backs. To those unfamiliar ipe is a fantastic material, very dense and especially hard it weathers fantastically well typically turning from a warm chestnut brown to a fine weathered gray.

The next image is of a bench that has been painted, most likely because someone didn't like how it looked as it naturally weathered or just wanted it to better match the finish of the adjacent business. Both of which reasons are "valid".

The shame is that if the benches were meant to be painted then a cheaper solution could have been found, especially one whose materiality wasn't an integral part of the design. I find this similar to someone painting a Delorian DMC-12 because the didn't like it in silver. It is an understandable decision logically but it sure breaks one own heart.