Hostile architecture

A few days ago, Spain was left without power and the world watched as people reclaimed the public realm. 

Entirely different sections of the community remembered what it was like to go out to the streets, to share resources, to speak with one another and enjoy the opportunity to be outdoors making the most of a sunny day after weeks of rain. Meanwhile, many foreigners living in Spain took over social media sharing images as though this was somehow strange. 

Where I come from, the public realm creates opportunities for chance encounters for enjoyment and above all, supports and connects city living. It is part of the culture so much so that it is an integral part of architectural education. 

Pedestrian streets and city squares are multigenerational, and they are the places where parents exchange tips or make plans, the elderly keep up with the "news", take the grandkids for informal playtime or enjoy the sun and teens gather around benches or the walls along the sea to discuss the week or watch each other go by.

The streets have life. They are the third place, the sauce, many try to bottle, and few manage to recreate here. 

When I came to the UK, I was incredibly surprised by how uncommon this had become but even so, I have experienced similar energy in London because the more diverse the area, the more likely to find that energy. 

As an architect, I have always found puzzling to hear people talk about creating "Cafe culture" and "third spaces" while also reminding the room to discourage people from lingering, socializing, or using public spaces for rest and recreation. 

Hostile architecture creates physical and psychological barriers in public spaces, undermining their role as “third spaces” where communities would otherwise gather, connect, and engage, erasing their presence from the public eye and reducing opportunities for social interaction and community engagement and contributing to isolation and mental health decline. 

Then, as the public interest and usage of those places decline, would be vibrant spaces end up becoming fragmented and lifeless, disrupting the sense of community, and belonging that "third spaces" are meant to foster and reducing eyes on the street making them less safe.

The photo I am using to illustrate this post is from a newly retarmacked pocket square in Camden where the elder in the community have been meeting daily for decades. It was no different from those you can find in a French village where people would gather to play pétanque.. for example. 

They used to sit in a comfortable bench with a comfortable height, an ergonomically considered depth and support to their back, no sharp edges or gaps, no arm rests. Now that Camden has tarmacked the natural pebbled areas and installed expensive sectioned timber benches with metal dividers, I am curious to find out what it is to become.