History of Interior Archtiecture

Unwelcoming Environments Nurture Hostile Designs

by | Jun 16, 2023

Hostile design is present all around us. Whether it be an obvious example of hostile design like spikes, or a more discreet hostile design such as a specific bench design, you can find hostile design in your everyday life. At the Knight Library, there is not much in terms of hostile design. There is, however, suggestive design that may be seen as unwelcoming to the unhoused. The Knight Library is a public building on the edge of campus. There is a street entrance to the library from the main street outside of campus that allows for visitors and students alike to access the building at any hour during the day. 

Although there is little in terms of obvious hostile designs, there are design failures located at the interior and exterior of the building. As another student has mentioned, the narrow walkways that guide an individual to the entrance of the building limit the space an unhoused individual may need in order to comfortably set up a shelter. The walkway allows around two people to comfortably walk side by side. However, a tent or other temporary shelter would take up the entire walkway which in that case, the unhoused individual would be escorted elsewhere.

The front facade of a oranmental brick library. A pink flowering tree on a patio along with a variety of benches.

The front facade of a ornamental brick library. A pink flowering tree on a patio along with a variety of benches.

Getting closer to the building, there are stairs that may be a potential temporary housing situation. Unfortunately, the stairs itself are narrow and would not allow an individual to comfortably lay across them. Along with the individual steps being narrow, the length of the stairs are narrow which adds to the unwelcoming nature of the Knight Library entrance. Although not intentionally hostile, the narrow walkway and steps are an unwelcoming design failure.

Dark, thick marble columns frame a golden art deco glass door. In the background, the main library stairs twist to the right.

Knight Library lobby ante chamber

Upon entering the Knight Library, you walk through a security room that houses a security guard and an initial set of metal detectors. This is only the first level of security. Once past this room, you enter a second room with the front desk and a second set of metal detectors. Although these security precautions are for student safety, they are intimidating for someone who is accustomed to being targeted by the police system. The multiple levels of security would deter someone who is negatively impacted by security. Although not hostile, the security design is unwelcoming. 

Walking further into the library, you can see a variety of seating arrangements. As some of my peers mentioned, the designs of the chairs suggest an intended use. Some chairs lack an armrest which would suggest they are designed for the intended use of typing. Couches would suggest a resting area where individuals can read in a quiet space. Although the designs of the chairs suggest a specific function, they all have an unwelcoming aspect to them. For instance, the couches are in a U-shaped curve which would not be ideal for someone with the intention of laying across it. The chairs either lack flexibility or cushioning which makes them uncomfortable to sit in for extended periods of time. Although this could be a place for the unhoused to rest in for a period of time, its uncomfortable and unwelcoming design would deter most of the unhoused. The library also closes itself off to the public after 9pm. At 9pm, only students are allowed in the building and must show proof of ID in order to be allowed to stay. These precautions along with the uncomfortable and unwelcoming seating makes a hostile environment for those who are not students.

Other examples of hostile design near the library would be the benches outside of Hayward field. These benches have a cascading design that makes it impossible to lay across them. Other benches with obvious hostile design would be those near the bus stops. These benches usually have a bar cutting the bench in half. As a whole bench, an unhoused person could lay across, but with a bar cutting the bench in half there is limited space to lay across. Other than the narrow pathways outside the library, there are hostile designs that take up space that could be used for temporary shelters. Things that take up space include bike racks and decorative additions such as boulders. These items are placed in large sidewalk areas to take up space that an unhoused individual could use. Since these designs intentionally target a specific group, they are examples of hostile design. 

Examples of the hostile design at MKA

Illustration of the bench design, showing the staggerings of each seat.

Drawing of the University’s Benches.

Diagram of how a human could not comfortably sit on the benches around campus

This is a sketch to represent the stairline structure of the bench that prohibits individuals from laying comfortably across it.

This photo shows the different types of furniture that they have in the Knight Library. There is couches, regular chairs, swivel chairs, etc. People can choose whatever furniture is most comfortable for them.

Although hostile design is not obvious at the Knight Library, the unwelcoming design deters the unhoused just the same. There are no obvious spikes or anti-homeless designs, but there are narrow walkways and stairways that limit the availability of temporary shelters, an overwhelming security presence in the entrance of the library, and lastly there are seating designs that create a limit on how long individuals are comfortable sitting there. All of these factors add to the unwelcoming nature of the Knight Library. This suggestive design creates a hostile environment that may make the unhoused unwelcome or deter them all together. Hostile environments may not include spikes or complicated benches, but could be limited space and seating designed for a purpose. A purpose that may not align with the needs of the unhoused.

Hostile Seating

This demonstrates how the bar attachment on the retaining wall prohibits anyone from sitting.

This is a bank with a retaining wall that has a bar on top of it. The bar is hostile design, as it does not allow anyone to sit on top of the retaining wall.

Example of the hostile design that the benches at Allan Price library promote

Bike Racks to prevent siting on curbs.

Bike Racks to prevent sitting on curbs.

Red bench with a armrest in the middle and a slightly curved seat.

Hostile bench at Lane Transit District

This seating design has a bar in the center of the bench that prohibits laying across it.

Bibliography:

Boulder Blockades  by rking3

https://blogs.uoregon.edu/h3s23/2023/05/30/boulder-blockades/comment-page-1/#comment-232

Go! (Away) Ducks! (Univ. of Oregon Hostile Architecture) by mlovette

Go! (away) Ducks! – (Univ. of Oregon Hostile Architecture)

Hostile design by Allan Price Library by tinao

https://blogs.uoregon.edu/h3s23/2023/05/30/hostile-design-by-allan-price-library/

Hostile design by the University of Oregon by sbaker8

Hostile Design at the University of Oregon: Examining Lillis Business Complex

Don’t Choose Here: Hostile Architecture in Eugene by lsmith21

Don’t Choose Here: Hostile Architecture in Eugene

Hostile Architecture: Bike Rack Placement in the Education Annex Parking Lot by faithw 

https://blogs.uoregon.edu/h3s23/2023/05/30/hostile-architecture-bike-rack-placement-in-the-education-annex-parking-lot/

Seats Leading to Innovation, Design, Education, and Aspiration. by mlovette

https://blogs.uoregon.edu/h3s23/2023/05/17/seats-leading-to-innovation-design-education-and-aspiration/

Un inclusive Design Features by phoebew

https://blogs.uoregon.edu/h3s23/2023/05/22/un-inclusive-design-features/

Discriminatory Furniture Design by danbiek

Discriminatory Furniture Design

Suggestive Use of Furniture at the Knight Library by bekahe

Suggestive Use of Furniture at The Knight Library

Hostile Architecture Part 2

by | May 31, 2023

 The second seating design located at the AMX bus station on Agate Street.

This seating arrangement is at the AMX bus station located on Agate Street. The covered bus station has a bench design that has a bar in the middle of the bench. This bar makes it impossible for someone to lay across the bench, therefore making it unwelcoming to the unhoused population who could potentially use the seating area to rest or sleep out of the rain. Although it may seem like the bench it seperated to ensure that more than one person can sit comfortably, it limits the benches versatility. Rather than sitting on the bench, an unhoused individual could use this bench as shelter from the constant rain or sunshine but because there is a bar in the middle of the bench, its uses are limited. Due to the fact that this directly limits the uses of the bench for the unhoused, it is an example of hostile design. 

 This seating design has a bar in the center of the bench that prohibits laying across it.

Hostile Architecture Part 1.

by | May 31, 2023

 This Bench is located outside the Hayward Field, on Agate Street. 

Hostile design is all around us. At the University of Oregon, you can find examples of hostile design in the benches around campus. The benches are specifically designed to target the unhoused people by making them unwelcoming and uncomfortable to lay across. The first set of benches found outside the Hayward Field Arena, on Agate Street, are designed in a cascading design that makes it so individuals can only sit on the individual seats rather than lay across the entire bench. This stair like structure allows individuals to only sit on a section of the bench. This targets the unhoused population because it makes a potential bed unwelcoming and intentionally uncomfortable to lay across. 

 This is a sketch to represent the stairline structure of the bench that prohibits individuals from laying comfortably across it.

 

Hostile Design on Campus

by | May 30, 2023

Hostile design is all around us. At the University of Oregon, you can find examples of hostile design in the benches around campus. The benches are specifically designed to target the unhoused people by making them unwelcoming and uncomfortable to lay across. The first set of benches found outside the Hayward Field Arena, on Agate Street, are designed in a cascading design that makes it so individuals can only sit on the individual seats rather than lay across the entire bench. This targets the unhoused population because it makes a potential bed unwelcoming and intentionally uncomfortable to lay across. The second seating arrangement is at the AMX bus station located on Agate Street. The covered bus station has a bench design that has a bar in the middle of the bench. This bar makes it impossible for someone to lay across the bench, therefore making it unwelcoming to the unhoused population who could potentially use the seating area to rest or sleep out of the rain. Below is a sketch showing how the seating designs do not allow individuals to lay across the benches.

First Bench across from the Hayward Field on Agate Street.

The second seating design located at the AMX bus station on Agate Street.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hostile Architecture On Campus

by | May 24, 2023

The entrance to the Knight Library.

This is the secondary security to get into the library. In the image you can see the metal detectors set up as well as the front desk in the background. Once through the initial security room, the metal detectors and past the front desk, anyone is free to use the facilities provided by the library. 

 

Summary:

James Petty’s article on hostile architecture highlights the values of the public through their emphasis on image rather than community. Hostile architecture is described as anti-homeless architecture. This can be dividers on benches or spikes on doorsteps to prevent the homeless from sleeping there. Obstacles such as these are designed to keep the street “clean” and rid of the homeless that might devalue the neighborhood. Although there are supporters for hostile architecture, many people are against it and claim that the community cares about outward appearance rather than the wellbeing of the community. Rather than driving away the homeless, they feel energy should be spent helping the homeless. However, rough sleeping (an act of the homeless) evokes crime, disorder and poverty and thus devalues neighborhoods and dishevels once clean areas. 

Hostile architecture also works to keep the homeless out of certain areas altogether. Fences with spikes and barriers are used to block the homeless and unwanted. Although useful in fulfilling their intended purpose, hostile architecture does not always fit within the aesthetic of the community. People think it’s ugly and unappealing to the eye. Hostile architecture crosses the realms of social and physical space by physically making it challenging for a homeless individual to use a space and using the unwelcoming design of anti-homeless architecture (like the spikes) to make it socially known that they are unwelcome. 

 

Interpretation:

 

James Petty’s article about hostile architecture being used to create an unwelcoming environment for the homeless relates to the Knight Library on campus. Homelessness is a growing issue in Eugene and as an open campus, it is not unusual for a homeless individual to wind up on campus. Although there are outside benches and spaces that are welcome to the homeless, areas such as residential and classroom buildings have certain precautions that keep the homeless out of such areas. The Knight Library on campus has an initial security walkway to get through the first set of doors. Once in, there are metal detectors and a front desk to get through in order to enter the main library facilities. Though these security measures are not spikes or fences, they are precautions taken to keep homeless individuals out of student populated areas. This is for the safety of the students as well as the reputation of the school. The university does not want to be “tainted” by the image of a campus riddled with homeless people so it takes certain precautions to make the homeless unwelcomed on campus. Precautions like this are the hostile architecture James Petty was describing in his article.