Content uploaded by Caitlin A. Carey
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Caitlin A. Carey on Mar 18, 2021
Content may be subject to copyright.
Hostile Architecture Aimed at People
Experiencing Homelessness in
Boston, Massachusetts: A Spatial
Analysis
Caitlin Carey, University of Massachusetts Boston
Society for the Study of Social Problems 2018 Annual Meeting
Philadelphia, PA
August 11, 2018
*2018 Student Paper Award, Sociology and Social Welfare Division
What is Hostile Architecture?
▸“Hostile architecture” (also called “defensive architecture” or
“unpleasant design”) involves designing urban spaces in
such a way that the space discourages certain unwanted
behaviors
▸Typically targets behaviors associated with people
experiencing homelessness, drug users, and youth
Prior Literature
▸Mostly from the fields of Architecture and Urban Studies
▸Focus on hostile architecture outside of the U.S. (mostly in
the U.K.)
▸No spatial analyses
▸There is a debate about how much the intent of design
matters
Research Questions and Hypotheses
▸Where are instances of hostile architecture aimed at people
experiencing homelessness most concentrated in the city of
Boston?
▸H1: Hostile architecture aimed at people experiencing
homelessness is more likely to appear farther away from
homeless shelters
▸H2: Hostile architecture aimed at people experiencing
homelessness is more likely to appear in areas zoned for
business
▸H3: Hostile architecture aimed at people experiencing
homelessness is more likely to appear in areas with higher
median incomes
▸What are the most common types of hostile objects aimed
at people experiencing homelessness in Boston?
▸What behaviors associated with people experiencing
homelessness are most frequently targeted by hostile
architecture in Boston?
Methodology
• Analyze hostile architecture aimed at
people experiencing homelessness
through David Harvey’s Right to the City
to form research questions and
hypotheses
Apply Harvey to Hostile
Architecture
• Random selection of ten Census Block
Groups in Boston
Draw Sample
• Walk around sample area to photograph
and geo-tag hostile architecture aimed
at people experiencing homelessness
Data Collection
•Create point data for hostile architecture
and layer that with shapefiles for
median income, zoning subdistrict, and
proximity to homeless shelters
Create Maps
Results
Results
Results
Results
Results
Results
Conclusion
H1: Hostile architecture aimed at people experiencing
homelessness is more likely to appear farther away from
homeless shelters
☒H2: Hostile architecture aimed at people experiencing
homelessness is more likely to appear in areas zoned for
business
☒H3: Hostile architecture aimed at people experiencing
homelessness is more likely to appear in areas with higher
median incomes
▸Retaining walls/fences, benches, and doorways are the
most common types of hostile objects in Boston
▸Sitting/resting and reclining/sleeping are the behaviors that
are most commonly targeted by hostile architecture aimed
at people experiencing homelessness in Boston
Policy Recommendations
▸There is a need for cities to develop processes that include
people experiencing homelessness in their planning
processes
▸Cities should implement policies that prevent hostile
architecture
References
▸Andreau, A. (2015). Anti-homeless spikes: ‘Sleeping rough opened my eyes to the city’s
barbed cruelty.’ The Guardian. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/feb/18/defensive-architecture-keeps-poverty-
undeen-and-makes-us-more-hostile
▸Chan, J. (2015). Moral agency in architecture? The dialectics of spatializing morality and
moralizing spaces. Architecture, materiality and society: Connecting sociology of
architecture with science and technology studies, Palgrave-Macmillan, 198-214.
▸Chellew, C. (2017). Design Paranoia. Ontario Planning Journal, 31(5), 18-20.
▸Gesuelli, F. (2016). Forced to live dead in public space: An experiment of democracy in
Rome. Housed By Choice Housed By Force - Homes, Conflicts and Conflicting
Interests. Retrieved from http://architecturemps.com/wp-
content/uploads/2016/04/GESUELLI-F_FORCED-TO-LIVE-DEAD-IN-PUBLIC-
SPACE_AN-EXPERIMENT-OF-DEMOCRACY-IN-ROME.pdf
▸Harvey, D. (2008). The right to the city. New Left Review, 53, 1-16.
▸Petty, J. (2016). The London spikes controversy: Homelessness, urban securitisation
and the question of 'hostile architecture.’ International Journal for Crime, Justice, and
Social Democracy, 5(1), 67-81. doi: 10.5204/ijcjsd.v5i1.286
▸Savicic, G. & Savic, S. (2014). Unpleasant design: Designing out unwanted behaviour.
Proceedings from 5th STS Italia Conference. Milan.