Turning graffiti into art! The impact of shutter designs on shopping street attractiveness

Graffiti is a common challenge in urban development worldwide. Governments recognize graffiti as a serious issue because, as explained by the broken windows theory, even minor disorder can lead to broader disorder and crime across a city. For example, in Paris, workers patrol daily to remove graffiti from building walls as a preventive measure. However, this requires significant financial and time investments, placing a heavy burden on the government. As an alternative approach, initiatives that systematically introduce painting as urban art are gaining attention. In other words, actively incorporating art can reduce opportunities for graffiti. To evaluate this effect, it is essential to compare the impact of unpainted surfaces, graffiti, and art on urban attractiveness under identical conditions. This study addresses a gap in the existing literature by examining these effects. A randomized controlled trial conducted on a Japanese shopping street found that art enhances the city’s attractiveness and increases residents’ intention to live there compared to graffiti. The positive impact of art over graffiti is particularly pronounced among men and older individuals. Just as industries like food and automobiles rely on thorough experimentation to validate effectiveness, urban development strategies should also be grounded in rigorous testing to inform decision-making.