Examples Of Hostile Architecture To Prevent Homeless People From Being Able To Shelter

These may be installed as "art" but often they're actually hostile attempts to stop homeless people from sleeping in public

Rachel

• Published in Interesting
• December 15, 2020

Hostile architecture is one of the cruellest things to develop from late capitalism. Hostile architecture is defined as elements of "design" that are implemented to prevent people from being able to stay in one place for too long.

It is directly targeted at homeless people, with the aim being to stop them from being able to rest or shelter in public places. It is harsh, cruel, and unfair--no one deserves to be homeless, and cities should be supporting these people, rather than adding to their misery.

Examples of hostile architecture include benches with arm rests in the middle (stops people from being able to lay down) and spikes on the ground (to prevent people from being able to shelter). Scroll down from some real-life examples of these, and, try to identify and challenge these in your own neighbourhoods.

Look out for pretty designs to try and distract you!

It is just cruel (as well as being ugly)

Spikes to stop people sheltering undercover.

This is painful

For example, arms across benches to stop people from lying down

Weird "design" elements around your town may actually just be anti-homeless measures...

Benches without the... bench part?

Cities and councils CHOOSE to make it difficult for homeless people to shelter

Hostile architecture was just the beginning...

Please, if you have happen to be in a position where you are designing or voting on "design" elements for a neighbourhood, think about the homeless neighbours, too. Housing should be a basic human right; but until then, at least let them have access to shelter--and benches that you can lay down on.

WTF don't slash someone's house??

Rachel