Let's Talk About 4 Underdog Urban Furniture Items

Suppose we gathered one hundred people in a room and ask them: give us examples of urban furniture. What would they say?

Immediately, people would mention the most common examples: tables, benches, and chairs. Then, it's highly likely that someone in the audience would think of trash cans and planters. If we're lucky, someone might eventually mention bike racks, drinking fountains, or ashtrays. However, unless there's a professional in urban planning among them, it's likely that the list would stop there, and that's perfectly normal! These are the most distinctive elements in our urban spaces, so the most memorable for the public!"

These four commonly forgotten pieces of equipment that we are about to present to you have one thing in common: they go unnoticed! Neglected items like:

Barriers - Define Boundaries Without Obstructing the View

Lotlimit barrier by mmcité - Photo credit: mmcité

From a functional point of view, they guide users and protect public spaces, and from an aesthetic point of view, they define a space and punctuate it wonderfully! However, barriers often go unnoticed by visitors.

Want to make your barriers more noticeable? Consider getting them in colors that match your space or in more visible materials, such as stainless steel. You can also differentiate the colors and materials of the different elements of the barrier to make them stand out more to the public.

Privacy Screens - Often Unnoticed, but Right in Front of Our Eyes

Paradigm Vegetalised Privacy Screen - Hauser - Photo Credit: Hauser Site Furniture

Like barriers, privacy screens allow for the creation of more intimate areas in a public space. Ironically, it's in their nature to be directly in the visitors' line of sight, but they are never noticed!

Want to make your privacy screens more noticeable? There is privacy screens designed for growing plants, always a breathtaking view in an urban space! There are also metal screens with customizable patterns, on which you could choose a unique pattern or an easily identifiable marker, like a logo.

Bollards - The Champions of Unknown Urban Furniture

Elias bollards by MMCité - Photo Credit: MMCité

The bollard is the most neglected piece of urban furniture: they always go unnoticed, no one knows the real name of these 'posts sticking out of the ground,' and even in Scrabble, the word 'bollard' hardly scores any points. However, it's a good thing that bollards are so unknown: being a piece of furniture whose main function is to protect from vehicles, a bollard that goes unnoticed means a safe public space.

Since a bollard is an element that defines and protects a space, it is especially important to make it very striking and visible to passersby. To this end, consider opting for colors that contrast with the surrounding space (traditionally, yellow, or black are commonly chosen). You can also opt for bollards with integrated lighting if you want to maximize their visibility at night.

Tree Grates - Art Designed to be Stepped On

OT-T24 tree grate by Urban Accessories - Photo Credit: Urban Accessories

It's hard to notice furniture when it's designed for us to walk on, but grates are ideal for standing out: they are large canvases with a variety of patterns and finishes! Whether it's tree protection grates or trench grates for water drainage, they have an aesthetic potential that is too often underestimated in our public spaces.

Want to make your tree grates stand out in your project? Leave aside the traditional lined grate and opt for a more artistic pattern. You can also choose a colored or treated finish, including lighting, or even add personalized lettering!

So, still invisible? 👀

Invisible doesn't mean useless! These discreet elements of urban furniture play a key role in our daily lives, often without us realizing it. Without them, our streets would be much less functional… and a bit more chaotic!

Now that you've spotted them, it's impossible to ignore them! 😄