Public space is location marketing
World cities have become interchangeable. In addition to a few architectural icons, we (unconsciously) perceive the identity of a city primarily through its public elements - street signs and signposts, park benches, waste containers, advertising and information boards or the lighting in public spaces. Even though airports around the world are all very similar in terms of basic architecture, we feel more “at home” in certain places.
Studies show that these feelings of identification are largely caused by the public elements, in particular the signage in the airport. The branding character of public space is most clearly revealed on film sets. In Hollywood, gangster films from the 1920s or, for example, Spiderman from the current century were filmed against exactly the same building backdrops. What changes in each case are the public elements (signposts, light signals, waste bins, newspaper dispensers, etc.).
Not convinced yet?
Then do the self-test.
Would you have recognized the skyline shown above without public elements?
Can you assign the public elements shown to a city?