Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Professor, School of Architecture and Environmental Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
2 Master’s in Urban Design, Iran University of Science and Technology
Abstract
Urban squares are vital public spaces that foster social interactions and reflect the spatial structure of cities. Shohada Square in Mashhad, located near the holy shrine of Imam Reza, holds significant potential for sociability due to its cultural-religious context. However, past designs have often failed to enhance its physical and social qualities. This study investigates the role of public art types in improving the sociability of Shohada Square based on users’ perceptions, using a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach. It examines the impact of public art on physical (accessibility, spatial quality, legibility, spatial continuity), social (social interactions, safety, sense of belonging, presence), and activity-related (functional diversity, eventfulness, vitality) components, while exploring the mediating roles of physical and activity-related dimensions.
Employing a mixed-methods approach, data from 240 square users were analyzed using Partial Least Squares SEM (PLS-SEM). Results reveal that public art significantly influences physical (β=0.8994, p<0.0001, R²=0.809), social (β=0.9628, p<0.0001, R²=0.927), and activity-related (β=0.9107, p<0.0001, R²=0.829) components, with the strongest effect on the social dimension. Among public art types, visual art (β=1.0000 for social component, f²=0.130) and live art (f²=2.054) exhibit the greatest impact, particularly on legibility and vitality, while architectural and digital art show weaker effects (f²=0.085 and 0.029, respectively). Safety (f²=0.518) and social interactions (f²=0.626) are the most influenced sub-components. The physical (indirect effect=0.7353, p<0.0001) and activity-related (indirect effect=0.788, p<0.0001) components significantly mediate the effect of public art on social qualities. These findings suggest that strategic integration of public art, particularly visual and live art, can enhance the sociability of Shohada Square, offering insights for urban planners to optimize its cultural-religious potential.
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