An Investigation to Physical Aspects of Middle Area in Squares as a Useful Indicator for Designing Community-Oriented Urban Plazas (Case Study: Italian Piazzas of Campidoglio in Rome, Del Campo in Siena and San Marco in Venice)

Middle of squares, one of the components of physical aspect is considered as an appropriateindicator in designing successful urban squares, which consequently promotes visual quality. The present study aims todetermine how the above mentioned aspect was presented in the Middle-Ages and Renaissance within Italian squares.Considering the aim of the investigation, library studies as well as visual documentations, with a historical-descriptiveapproach were applied in studying Italian community-oriented squares, Campo located in Siena, Del Campidoglioin Rome and San Marco in Venice. Results showed that, urban designers have employed some indicators, includingphysical aspect and its factors such as proportions, shape, surface design, materials, colors and topography in order topromote aesthetic-visual qualities, as well as human scale and unity of space to successfully design attractive middlesin squares. These all, efficiently influence users’ presence, pause, movement type and trend, direction, speed and eventheir behavior. Accordingly, considering the mentioned aspect is of great importance in designing future squares.