What is urban furniture? How should urban furniture designs be? Here are the best street furniture design ideas and features…
What is Urban Furniture?
Urban furniture is street furniture used by the public in urban areas; that is, in public areas such as parks, squares, sidewalks and parking lots. For example; benches, bus stops, street lights, garbage bins and billboards are urban furniture. Urban furniture designs can be functional, aesthetic or both functional and aesthetic. These objects that surround our urban living spaces affect our psychology and behavior. Well-thought-out and high-quality street furnitures enriches our experience of public space.
Urban Furniture Designs & Features
First of all, it is important to understand the principles of urban furniture design. Street furniture should be designed in line with the following features and user experience should be taken into account. The features that a quality urban space furniture that makes a positive contribution to public spaces should have are as follows:
1. Security
Public spaces are open to all types of users. Therefore, when designing street furniture, different user groups such as the elderly, the disabled and children should be taken into account. In other words, urban furniture should be safe for all user groups. Some furnitures may be designed for a specific user group. However, it must also be inclusive and safe for other people.
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2. Functionality and Comfort
People avoid using something they don’t like. For example, a user who has a negative experience with a bench will not want to sit on that bench again. Similarly, an uncomfortable seating area, an ugly appearance or a bad smell are among the negative experiences that can be experienced. Urban furnitures must be useful and comfortable. It should also create a special bond with the user and give the user a sense of personal space.
3. Creativity
Because the cost of mass production is much lower, the same type of benches, garbage cans and bus stops are found everywhere in cities. Although this situation is an advantage in terms of visual continuity, it becomes a disadvantage in terms of creativity. In addition, the uniformity of furniture causes it to be incompatible with the environment it is in. A well-designed furniture should be functional and creative, suitable for its environmental context.
4. Environmentally Friendly
Street furniture has significant potential for local governments to raise public awareness and educate the public about environmental issues. For example, an environmentally friendly street furniture that contains ecological elements or is made from recycled waste materials can convey important messages to its users.
5. Fun
There is a general belief that urban areas and furnitures are for adults and therefore should be serious. However, adults also have the right to have fun. Fun designs can bring out the child within us and add color to the dullness. Urban spaces can easily be transformed into entertainment centers with creative street furniture designed from different perspectives.
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An urban furniture designed by taking all these features into consideration creates significant value for both the users and the environment. A good design instantly transforms an ordinary urban area into a center of attraction. It makes people smile and brings people from different socio-cultural levels closer together. In short, the right urban furniture designs transform urban areas from gray and boring spaces in which we get lost into personal spaces that give us confidence, make us smile and meet our needs.
