二次大戰之後，台灣在工業化過程中獲得巨幅經濟成長；大批城鄉移民則促成台北都市化快速發展。然而，相對衍生的公共服務設施卻付之闕如；街道家具往往因陋就簡，任由非正式部門自力營造所填補，呈現了都市集體消費供應不足的狀態。直到1980年代，台灣政治從威權轉型到民主時代，公共服務始成為市府施政著力點。1994年，首任民選市長設定交通移動、運輸服務作為重要施政議題，街道家具成為展現政績的政治造景。此一時期，台北市也膠著在「去工業化」後，追求經濟再發展的掙扎中。對應到英、美「新自由主義」的展開，台北市街道家具被開發成為可獲取經濟租金的商品，並且連結到西方現代化都市美學意象。因此，街道家具映照著都市關鍵作用者，在不同時期基於不同的治理思維，採取消極／積極行動，使其表現出不同的樣貌。本文以台北市街道家具變遷為線索，耙梳都市治理的不同面向。循此，全文歷史縱深涵蓋二次戰後迄今，著墨重點則集中於1994年市長民選之後。最後，東亞「發展型國家」的威權，在市民社會崛起後普遍遭到挑戰；人們分從個人游擊或社區營造，加入了這場角力戰。在政府、資本和人民的拔河中，街道家具乃各種力量的辯證體現。

During the early postwar period, the economic policies adopted by Taiwan were export-oriented with huge economic growth achieved. A large number of rural-urban migrants contributed to the rapid development of urbanization in Taipei. Pitifully, there was no corresponding public service facility available. Street furniture was often humbly crude, only made and fulfilled by 'informal sectors'. It showed the deficient supply status in response to urban collective consumption. Till 1980s', when the political status in Taiwan transformed from authoritarian to democratic governances, public service became the new emphasis of city governmental policies. In 1994, the first people-elected mayor focused his political effort on transportation services, street furniture started to become a landscaping for political achievement. During this period, Taipei was also stalemated in the struggle for economic redevelopment after the deindustrialization in 1980s'. In contrary to the neoliberalism in Britain and U.S., the street furniture on Taipei City had been developed as the commodities with economic rent available. Furthermore, they were linked to the aesthetic intentions of Western modern urban.Consequently, street furniture mirrored the key roles of city. During different times with different governance thinking, both negative/positive actions were taken to unravel different facades. In this paper, street furniture on Taipei was viewed as the clues reflecting different aspects of urban governance. As such, this article covered the full historical depth during the period from post-World War II till now, especially focusing on the times after city mayor were elected democratically. Finally, the authority of developmental state in Taiwan was extensively challenged after the rise of civil society. Citizens joined the tussle through individuals or organized communities. In the tussle among governments, capitalists and citizens, street furniture meant the embodiment of divergent dialectical forces.