I had the opportunity to study street furniture as my element of the public realm. I came to find that street furniture is typically used in two ways: utilitarian and aesthetic.

 (Utilitarian)

Both of these functions are important yet do not reach the full potential of street furniture to create outdoors rooms. These rooms can be used to enhance the pedestrian environment and experience. Street furniture can be used to encourage people to stay in what might otherwise be move-through spaces.  How different street furniture elements relate to one another is also of importance. Seating elements should be situated to encourage random or intentional interaction among individuals and provide a balance of sun and shade to accommodate weather patterns.

Furniture elements such as fountains can be used near seating in higher traffic areas to drown out automobile noise.

 (Aesthetic)

Trash cans should be placed in areas convenient to use and be aesthetically pleasing. The relationships of these elements to one another ought not to be random, but intentionally placed to consider the experience of the user.