Factors Contributing to the Innovation of "Street Furniture” Design

(The western environment as a model)

Abstract

During the last two decades of the last century, the Western world has witnessed primary changes in terms of dealing with the intellectual theses related to urban design in general and to the management of designs of "street furniture" in particular, in the Western world. In fact, these changes have turned out to be reflected on the political decision-making process. This variation was mirrored as well in the development of the events’ course in the history of designing city furniture having implications on the emergence of new trends and movements in the design field. The combination of these changes led to remarkable differences that crystallized on three levels; some of these changes are due to the effective political will in developing its vision for furniture in public spaces, while some of the other changes are due to the emergence of new behavioral patterns and social developments in the city in relation to design. Another wave of changes is due to the desire of industrial institutions to extend their regional influence by establishing their own laws and their stated and hidden goals. The combination of these differences also led to the emergence of a new characteristic of urban design and a different design style with a particular specificity. Moreover, it also led to the creation of a different Western societal organism, being the fruit of its post-modern era, and likewise being the origin of its environment. Therefore, nowadays it is fundamental to rethink the factors that led to the Western urban spaces’ transitions and their impact on the daily life pattern. This thinking also requires digging deep into the conceptual apparatus of "street furniture" and its ambiguous connotations. It would also be useful to examine the factors related to the design of urban space with the aim of its systemization so that it works in harmony with nations’ social needs and identities.