Have you ever heard of the term “hostile architecture”? Coined in June 2014 by reporter Ben Quinn in the British newspaper The Guardian, the article originally titled Anti-homeless spikes are part of a wider phenomenon of 'hostile architecture' [1] surprised readers worldwide, who began to notice these practices in their own cities. In the piece, Quinn discussed how urban design influences behavior and social interaction, criticizing how contemporary design approaches seek to exclude unhoused people from urban centers.
Among the urban solutions presented, benches designed specifically to exclude unhoused people and skateboarders, spikes on low walls, and barriers under awnings were some of the examples cited.
These measures divided public opinion. While a large portion of the population confronted the government, some designers and citizens, on the other hand, defended the design of these elements as tools for “preventing criminal behavior” [2].
