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Hostile architecture is an urban design strategy intended to prevent behavior judged to be unpleasant, inappropriate, or dangerous. But its side effect is to sap the vitality of urban life

Once there were the social ideals of architecture: a discipline whose goal is to define the physical context in which we live and which can encourage socializing. While design disciplines can guarantee dignified living conditions for everyone, they also have to aspire to accessible and shared beauty. Among the outstanding examples of how the attention of architects (and clients) can be directed towards the whole community – and not just to a wealthy few – are street benches: masonry and stone street furniture that provided public seating, placed at the foot of the main or secondary faces of historic buildings. The principal Renaissance palaces in Florence, such as Palazzo Medici-Riccardi and Palazzo Strozzi are endowed with these public furnishings.

What is hostile architecture?
Fast forward to the 2000s and we see the spread of an architecture whose purposes seem to be the opposite to those described above. Their goal is to make a given public place inaccessible, inhospitable and hostile. The name of this architectural trend is “hostile architecture”, “defensive architecture”, or even “unpleasant design”. It is a whole series of architectural devices – objects, furnishings, accessories or details – designed to discourage certain kinds of behavior on the part of the population, and in particular some less well-off categories – especially the homeless. Studs and spikes, bollards and dividers, as well as disturbing sounds and lights: hostile architecture creeps into existing built environments and changes their connotations.

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It also keeps skateboarders away & reduces property owners potential liability for injuries plus lower premiums for installing it.