Hostile Architecture vs. Democratic Design for the Future
A debate on how urban design either excludes or welcomes marginalized communities, examining the politics of public space and democratic city-making.
Date & Time at 6:30 PM EST
Location Graduate Center, CUNY New York, US
Organizer Graduate Center, CUNY
Why we picked this
The benches with armrests that prevent sleeping, the spikes under bridges — this debate names the quiet cruelty built into cities and asks what design for everyone would actually look like.
This debate at CUNY’s Graduate Center confronts one of urban design’s most politically charged questions: who is public space actually for? Panelists examine hostile architecture — the spikes, sloped benches, and divided seating designed to exclude — alongside visions of democratic design that prioritize access, dignity, and community use.
The conversation draws from architecture, sociology, and disability studies to consider how the built environment reflects and enforces power. Free and available both in person and virtually.