The Impact of Art Based Environmental Graphics on Social Interaction in Public Spaces

Abstract

Despite the central role of public spaces in shaping the social life of cities, many of these spaces have become mere transitional areas due to the lack of perceptual stimuli and meaningful experiences. Meanwhile, art based environmental graphics, by employing the visual, semiotic, and aesthetic capacities of urban art, can act as an effective factor in activating spatial experience and enhancing social interaction in urban environments. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how art based environmental graphics influence social interaction in public spaces. The present research adopts a qualitative approach based on a case study strategy. Data were collected through three complementary methods: social semiotic analysis of selected examples, systematic observation of public spaces, and semi structured interviews with users. Data analysis was conducted using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that art based environmental graphics – by attracting attention, creating cognitive pause, arousing curiosity and meaning seeking, and fostering emotional and mental engagement – can facilitate dialogue, shared experience, and increased social interactions in public spaces. The results also show that the effectiveness of these interventions depends on the aesthetic quality of the work, its semiotic capacity, and the congruence between the artistic intervention and the spatial context. Accordingly, environmental graphics should be regarded not merely as a tool for beautification, but as a mechanism for enhancing the quality of urban experience, strengthening sense of place, and revitalising social life in public spaces.