New guidelines for the location of public furniture in the historic centre
Guidelines for the Location of Public Furniture in the Historic Centre of Brasov is the HUB-IN document that paves the way for the future of Brașov’s city center.
Urban furniture represents the totality of objects placed in the public domain, on the streets or in public spaces, either for common use and comfort or for technical utilities and services. Depending on where objects such as chairs, public toilets, mailboxes, kiosks, vegetation, lighting, barriers, parapets and signage are placed, they can even be uncomfortable or endanger citizens.
Unlike other cities in the country such as Sibiu or Oradea, Brașov unfortunately did not have a guide addressing the subject of urban furniture in public spaces. This document is a first step in this direction and systematically addresses several principles concerning the quality of urban furniture and its positioning in relation to the street profile, the built environment or other elements of furniture in a given space. This guide aims to detail only those items of urban furniture used by the general public that have a high impact on the comfort and aesthetics of the public space: e.g. benches, bollards, bins, toilets, bicycle racks and planters.
This guide is a natural continuation of the HUB-IN document Towards a Balanced and Inclusive Use of the Public Realm in the Historic Urban Area of Brasov (2022) and of the Guide for the Location of Seasonal Terraces in the Historic Centre of Brasov (2023). Both studies highlight the gradual change in the public and democratic nature of the city centre through excessive tourism in recent years, which has led to a tipping of the balance towards private interest, to the detriment of users and residents of the old centre. The Municipality of Brasov supports any kind of initiative dedicated to transforming the public domain into an accessible, inclusive, comfort-oriented and citizen-centred space.
Learn more about Brașov’s HUB-IN here!
