| The outward appearance of a built-up area depends on such architectural landscape element as outdoor furniture. Outdoor elements like benches and litter bins are put throughout city or town and are used not only for practical functions but for street decor as well. So what requirements should urban furniture agree with in order to be reliable in operation and gratifying to the eye?
1) The first criterion is economy. The basic objective of urban furniture is providing necessary urban facilities for citizens. City beautification takes the second position. That's the reason why nobody wants to pay more for gratifying to the eye furniture if they can acquire economical reliable equipment with fewer expenses. Affordability is an essential requirement, but nevertheless it isn't the only one.
2) Safety is also one of fundamental criteria of street furniture that should be thoroughly deliberated at the designing stage. It applies in the first turn to the structures for playgrounds for kids. The designers should weigh the height of equipment objects, the shape of the structures, sanitary conditions, surface texture and so on and so forth. Similar precautions should be taken in respect of other objects of urban furniture.
3) Functionality and life time of outdoor furniture equipment should also be taken into consideration when projecting urban facilities. Overall dimensions of the element, its construction and materials it is made of should be deliberated before starting manufacture. It's important to protect city furniture constructions from the acts of vandalism, then it'll serve for a long period of time.
4) And at last we should mention such criterion as universality. Outdoor furniture equipment is a public ownership so it should be produced in such a way that everyone could use it.
So these are the fundamental criteria that should be taken into account by street furniture producers to supply high-grade and reliable equipment for street beautification. The materials that are frequently used for street furniture are steel, wood, concrete, stone. There is also so-called compound furniture that is made of 2 or more types of materials. In opinion of specialists, such furniture represents the best variant of city equipment since it is in line with all the requirements mentioned above. |
