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Published Jan 6, 2023

Unpleasant Design

Roman Mars and Selena Savage delve into the controversial world of 'unpleasant design', investigating how design elements are strategically used to exert social control in public spaces, often targeting marginalized communities and sparking ethical debates around public order and exclusion.
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Episode Highlights

  • Anti-Homeless Measures

    Anti-homeless measures in public design often manifest as aggressive features like spikes and restrictive seating. highlights how these elements, such as metal spikes, are designed to prevent homeless individuals from resting in certain areas, sparking debates about their ethical implications 1. Selena Savage argues that these designs eliminate the possibility of negotiation, unlike human interventions, and reduce the complexity of public spaces 2.

    By attacking or addressing one particular problem, you actually generate many more problems and reduce complexity of possible behaviors in public space.

    --- Selena Savage

    These measures often evoke strong public reactions, questioning whether they address homelessness or simply hide it from view.

       

    Sound & Lighting

    Sound and lighting are subtle yet powerful tools used to influence behavior in public spaces. discusses how classical music and blue lighting are employed to deter certain groups, like teenagers and drug users, from congregating in specific areas 3. Selena Savage notes that these methods, while seemingly benign, exert social control by targeting vulnerabilities, such as teenagers' insecurities or the needs of drug users 2.

    Unpleasant design is something that works well at deterring certain behaviors and certain uses from particularly public spaces.

    --- Selena Savage

    These deterrents highlight the broader theme of using design to subtly manipulate public space usage.

       

    Camden Bench

    The Camden bench epitomizes the concept of unpleasant design with its multi-purpose deterrent features. describes it as a sculpted concrete structure designed to prevent sleeping, drug dealing, and even skateboarding, while still allowing sitting 4. Selena Savage criticizes this approach, suggesting it reflects a negative view of public space usage by prioritizing prevention over positive engagement 1.

    When we expect people to do bad things to the bench before we think of anything good that people might do to this bench, I think that's a very sad approach to public space.

    --- Selena Savage

    This design philosophy raises questions about the balance between security and accessibility in urban environments.

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