Bench for the Unsociable?

I love how different countries have come up with weird and wonderful solutions to myriad concerns. I was struck by how unsociable this bench on an underground platform in Budapest seemed, and wondered whether it was designed specifically for those who valued solitude, or the claustrophobic, or to deter people from talking at all, unless they cared to project their voices. It seemed a very Eastern European sort of thing, but I suppose the bench may have been set up this way to deter people with various unsavory designs from sitting next to vulnerable young ladies (or men) who are waiting for their trains. Or are they meant for particularly smelly individuals? Then again, it seems suspiciously like a piece of modern art, except in that it has a practical function. What fascinated me perhaps most was the variable distance between the individual seats, and why and how this was determined. Finally, it was something unusual and different and I liked the stark contrast between the red seats and the creamy, scuff-marked wall. Location: Budapest, Hungary