Design and technology: new interfaces for urban furniture

Abstract

Amidst a scenario characterized by the need to qualify cities in contemporary times through a more attractive public space that meets the demands of the population, there is an offer of new possibilities for interactions allied to technology. This transformation of public space through the innovation of urban furniture, which is the element that allows the vitality and resilience of the urban environment, involves social, urban and communication issues. The objective of the work is to analyze how the insertion of technological urban furniture contributes to the 9th objective of sustainable development of the 2030 Agenda and allows an adaptation of the public space to the new demands of the contemporary city. This work is part of an ongoing research by the Ágora group (UFJF) on the different types of street furniture, with emphasis on the concept related to technology. Therefore, the methodology used was structured in 2 stages: (i) bibliographic review of primary and secondary sources; and, (ii) empirical research through the identification, observation and analysis of existing urban furniture that present technological aspects in its concept, design and/or function. The results found were compiled into four main components and identified according to their interfaces. Therefore, it is concluded that the strategy of associating technology with urban furniture encourages the construction of an infrastructure for public space that is more resilient to current urban contexts and encourages future innovations.