Public Art and Urban Experience: The Case of Limassol Promenade

Abstract

Public art increasingly contributes to the identity, cultural expression, and experiential quality of contemporary public spaces, particularly along waterfront promenades that function as major urban gathering areas. This study examines the role and spatial integration of public art along the Limassol Promenade in Cyprus and evaluates its contribution to place identity and user experience. The originality of the research lies in proposing an interdisciplinary assessment framework that links urban design analysis with experiential evaluation of public art within a Mediterranean waterfront context. A qualitative framework‐based case study research design was adopted, including spatial mapping of public artworks, morphological and visual analysis of the promenade, systematic field observations, and user perception surveys. The case study was selected through purposive sampling due to Limassol Promenade's internationally recognized waterfront regeneration and its deliberate incorporation of public art elements. Findings indicate that strategically located artworks enhance visual continuity, stimulate social interaction, and reinforce local cultural narratives, thereby strengthening the promenade's function as an active and meaningful urban public space.