ABSTRACT
As public visualization is receiving more attention - in academic
research as well as in everyday practice - we need to consider the
physical environment as an important intrinsic component of its
design. We propose that one should not disconnect a public
visualization from the context in which it is read, as its immediate
environment carries various meanings that influence its perception
and interpretation. As the concept of street art also employs
invisible meanings that are present in the environment in order to
convey a message, it can act as a valuable resource for public
visualization designers. As such, we will discuss four rhetoric
strategies in order to demonstrate how street art practices succeed
in relating to their environment, and how this relationship is able
to trigger critical reflection. Departing from three public
visualization case studies - which are inspired by street art - we
discuss how they influence the appeal, the engagement and the
sense-making process. For each of these rhetoric strategies, we
describe design guidelines in order to help designers of public
visualizations exploit communicational codes and meanings that
are present in the environment.