Public Art and Street Furniture

The global economy’s gradual shift to the service sector has caused cities to prioritize creativity in their urban design to stimulate growth. Creativity in this context refers to Richard Florida’s concept of the “3 T’s,” technology, tolerance, and talent (Bloomberg, The tree T’s of growth, 2001). Cities can achieve creativity by attracting individuals that are technologically savvy or professionally talented and by encouraging a tolerant city culture that embraces heterogeneous demographics. In doing so, the implementation of avant-garde public art and street furnishings plays a fundamental role in creating attractive and desirable cities. In response to this increasing demand for creative urban design, this chapter explores concepts that boost cities’ creative index. The chapter highlights the importance of promoting local culture, explores the urban design concepts necessary for successful public art installations, discusses the importance of street furnishings and their considerations, and concludes with guidelines for their incorporation into forward thinking, creative-focused urban design.