The Role of Situated Public Displays on the Experience of Place

The number of digital media in urban space, along with their interactive functionalities, is constantly expanding. While deployment is often motivated by commercial objectives, the impact on their urban surroundings is often neglected. In this position paper, we build upon an analysis of two recent case studies to propose four design considerations for situated public displays in urban space, i.e. providing mechanisms that (1) allow citizens to reflect on the meaning and functionality, (2) build a sense of trust, (3) warrant hyperlocal relevance of the message that is communicated and (4) aim to elicit enriched urban experiences. This paper highlights the role of situated public displays in becoming a contextual platform for information that is able to augment social cohesion among neighborhood residents and positively influence the experience of urban space.