Exploring the Role of Public Art on Urban Public Space: An International Framework

Today’s cities are full of inappropriate and disturbing elements in terms of visual and functional qualities. In all these inconsistencies, people need beautiful and appropriate spaces that are in harmony with their environment. Hence, in recent years, quality and use of public space is a fundamental issue that affects on people’s interactions. Accordingly urban planners and urban designers around the world look at to the public art as an opportunity to create lively and dynamic public spaces. Undoubtedly, with the using art in urban spaces, public art has become one of the most important tools to increase the quality and aesthetics of urban space and to satisfy social and cultural needs of people. Public art can also express the identity and characteristic of public spaces. So, art has a primary role in creation positive or negative public spaces. In line with these, this study aims to explain the relationship between public art and the qualities of public space; and the question behind this aim, what is the role of public art on public space? The methodology of this research is multi-method research based on data collection, analysis, categorization and interpretation of knowledge in the field of Art and Public Space and learning from reviews of successful examples. Subsequently, analysis and categorization of collected raw data, and then some international examples of public art in public space will be investigated to illustrate the role of public art on public space. Based on these, four selected important public spaces, namely Trafalgar Square in London, Signoria Square in Florence, Naghsh-e-Jahan square in Isfahan and Tiananmen Square in Beijing, will be reviewed and lessons will be drawn. Keywords: Public space, public art, public art in public space, international examples