Urban furniture (sometimes also called urban elements) is the set of objects and equipment installed on public roads for various purposes. This set includes benches "Banco (furniture)"), litter bins "Trash can (container)"), traffic barriers, mailboxes, bollards, tiles, cobblestone "Cobblestone (pavement)"), public transport stops (where we can find shelters), telephone booths, among others. They are generally installed by city councils for the use of the neighborhood,[1]​ or by awarding them to a private party so that they can obtain benefits by exploiting advertising on public roads. The most important variables considered in the design of street furniture are how it affects street safety, accessibility and vandalism.

The urban elements identify the city and through them we can know and recognize the cities. They come to be defined as a constituent part of the DNA of the city's identity. The design of urban furniture that responds and adapts to the spaces, colors and uses that society demands is a very committed task. For this, it is essential to understand the environment and a clear, careful reading of its behavior within the framework where it will be located, especially if it is a monumental or historical city and with specific peculiarities.

Since most street furniture items are utilitarian in nature, authorities generally keep them up-to-date and replace them regularly (usually to comply with regulations, safety codes, etc.).[2]​[3]​ Because of this, antique, outdated, obsolete, or even non-functional furniture may be rarely seen and hold a special fascination and inspire nostalgia for many people.

The Tiergarten park in Berlin has a collection of old street lamps from around the world, both gas and electric.[4]​.

Street furniture itself has become an important part of many nations' identities, so much so that one can recognize the location by its design; Famous examples of this include:.

• - The red telephone booths of London.[5]​.

• - Residential mailboxes in the United States.

• - The street lights and metro entrances of Paris.

• - The cobblestone "Cobblestone (pavement)") of cities like Barcelona or Bilbao[6]​ in Spain.

• - Urban furniture from Barcelona.

• - Public space.

• - Public bathrooms.

• - Public sources.

• - Serra, J. M. (1996). Urban elements: furniture and microarchitecture. Barcelona: G. Gili.