Public art as a factor of the comfortable urban environment

Abstract

The article discusses the main problems of the comfortable urban environment and public art as one of the factors. An attempt is made to consider the importance of public art in creating visual and psychological comfort of a city dweller. The importance of interdisciplinary approach to urban environment design and rethinking/shifting the paradigm from the object of design (building/complex/space) to the subject of design (human) is revealed. The importance of applying the principles of visual ecology in the architectural and design practice is emphasized. An attempt is made to systematize the characteristics of public art and its influence on the urban environment. It is noted that the development of public art in Russia has its own characteristics, based on the historical past, the perception of society and urban authorities. It is suggested that the development of new media technologies, virtual and augmented reality, will transform the urban environment and make changes in the concept of its comfort.