Hostile Design & Defensive design in public spaces

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Key ideas

Hostile design

• Hostile architecture or hostile design is when public spaces are intentionally designed to exclude humans or hinder human use.
• This is often aimed at loitering teenagers, skateboarders or the homeless population.
• City benches are designed to discourage people from staying too long.
• We can see uncomfortable benches everywhere

Anti-homeless design

• ‍Anti-homeless spikes to fight homeless people from sleeping in public places.
• People who have disabilities or just get tired need a bench to sit on, not a wall to lean against.
• Designed to prevent skateboarding, these rails became unusable for those who need them.
• Anti-homeless architectures are just bandage on the real issue  - unaffordable housing.
• Some people want all hostile architecture to be removed as they are against human rights.
• Artists Fight Back Against Anti-Homeless Spikes In Unique Way

Inclusive public space

• This rainbow bench represents inclusiveness for LGTB community, but still exclude the poor.
• “The danger of hostile design is it’s so insidious. It’s so quiet, so camouflaged, that unless you know what it is, you accept it. And that blind acceptance makes things grow and spread.” - UK-based artist, Stuart Semple‍
• Public space should be accessible to whoever needs it.‍
• Are hostile design designing people - and nature - out of cities?