Material, Functional, and Aesthetic Solutions for Urban Furniture in Public Spaces

• Published in: Sustainability 2022-12, Vol.14 (23), p.16211, Article 16211
• Main Authors: Grabiec, Anna M, Łacka, Agnieszka, Wiza, Weronika
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 20th century; Architecture; Building materials; Buildings and facilities; Cities; Construction materials; Contingency; Design; Design and construction; Dictionaries; Environmental aspects; Furniture; Lighting; Materials; Metropolitan areas; Public spaces; Testing; Urban areas; Urban planning; User needs; Venn diagrams
• ISSN: 2071-1050; 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/SU142316211

Urban furniture is a wide collection of objects of different sizes and geometries, performing different functions in the city. The paper describes the history and contemporary development trends of urban furniture. It analyses the construction materials most often used in their production, as well as functional and aesthetic solutions. A questionnaire survey, exploring the issue of urban furniture from the view point of the student population, was statistically analysed. It showed the preferences and expectations of current and future users of urban furniture, which can be helpful in achieving harmony between the creation of a positive image of the city and the comfort of public spaces for its residents. In the study of the preferences of urban furniture users, contingency tables were used for questions with a possible single answer. The results of questions with possible multiple answers were illustrated using Venn diagrams or equivalent UpSetR charts.