Public Art in the Cities’ squares and roundabouts: The city of Kuwait as a case study

Abstract

This research deals with the beautification of cities, focusing in particular on the public art in the squares and roundabouts with examples from the City of Kuwait. It also highlights the experiences of some Foreign and Gulf countries, applying both an artistic analysis and a fieldwork survey of the Kuwaiti experience. The research addresses several issues: the difference between the beauty of a city and the city beautification; the different specializations that contribute to cities beautification; the relevance of the researcher’s expertise; which is “forming arts” in general and interior design in particular, and cities beautification. It also deals with the definitions of the square and the roundabout, the public art, the memorial artwork; some debates that relate to city beautification in the Gulf area; the role of governmental and non-governmental organizations. The research makes the conclusion that most of the squares and roundabouts in Kuwait are bear of considerable public art or have modest manifestations of it. It recommends giving more attention to the services and activities offered to their enjoyers, to enhance the facades of the surrounding buildings of the squares, furbishing them with selected public art and beautiful street furniture, and benefiting from successful examples of other exceeding countries.