In 2014, when The Guardian reporter Ben Quinn opened the eyes of citizens worldwide to hostile urban design practices, coining what would become known as the "hostile architecture" phenomenon, few expected such a massive global response. A myriad of urban design strategies came to light, which restrict civic participation and segregate how the city is appropriated—elements that curb specific behaviors and hinder access and presence for certain social groups. These codes of conduct, dictated by urban design, run counter to everything studied about democratic, welcoming cities, as championed by Jan Gehl and Jane Jacobs.
In this regard, there is a vast repertoire of hostile architecture strategies and urban elements, ranging from electric fences and barbed wire to gates enclosing squares and lawns, public benches narrower than recommended by ergonomic standards, and spikes on low walls and shop windows—essentially, anything that can somehow deter or exclude "undesirable" people from urban public spaces.
