Key Elements in the Design and Construction of Urban Sports Landmarks
Keywords:
Sports element, health and wellness, qualitative researchAbstract
An urban landmark is a sculptural composite that integrates internal features of volumes and geometric forms into a unified and cohesive whole. This composition possesses a stable and aesthetically pleasing geometric and balanced structure such that, once displayed in the urban landscape, it captures attention and engages the minds of citizens. Over time, it becomes a symbolic identifier for that urban area, forming a distinctive urban feature. Upon hearing the name of the area, the mind unconsciously attempts to visualize its defining characteristics. One of the significant contemporary global phenomena that influences public vitality, joy, and health is sports and its associated products. This aspect has been increasingly considered in urban space design, where efforts have been made to enhance vibrancy, liveliness, and the promotion of sports culture, as well as to attribute identity to sports venues through the design and installation of urban sports landmarks. The present research is qualitative in nature and is conducted through an in-depth and analytical study. It utilizes a combination of macro-level document analysis, comparative studies of sports symbols and landmarks in selected countries, and in-depth interviews with art experts and sports specialists. The Delphi technique and coding method were applied in the data analysis. The key elements were extracted using a thematic approach and derived through an analytical-inferential method. The findings revealed that in the design and form of urban sports landmarks, conceptual identity, spatial identity, historical identity, and visual-spatial identity are among the most critical components. Furthermore, attributes such as vibrancy, aesthetic appeal, emotional resonance, cultural uniqueness, and semantic depth are reflected in these landmarks. These features can significantly contribute to the development of public sports participation among citizens.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Hassan Ebrahimi; Gholamali Karegar, Habib Honari, Sara Keshkar (Author)
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