Isaac Chow
- Feb 19, 2022

Hostile Architecture and Homelessness

What is hostile architecture?

Hostile architecture is an urban-design strategy which is put in place to curtail undesirable activity around the area. The implementation of hostile architecture undermines the concept of a "public" space, impeding and constricting accessibility and freedom within the area. Specifically, hostile architecture targets the homeless population - shunning these less privileged groups from public spaces.

Hostile architecture is a worldwide problem, with a large number of countries employing this architectural policy and design to promote social security and enhance the public image. However, despite these seemingly honourable intentions, the results of such architecture, as its name suggests, are generally negative - rather than providing better alternatives to benches and concrete ledges, many cities are designing people out of areas. The issue is just as common in Hong Kong as it is around the world, however, unlike problems such as landfills and cage homes, these misanthropic designs are often unnoticed, hidden behind the city’s façade of prestigious, appealing architecture.

Types of hostile architecture

Here are some examples of hostile architecture prevalent within cities:

Slanted benches

Slanted benches are an inconvenience for people waiting at bus or train stops, but they are equally, if not more, inconvenient for the homeless. Benches are a go-to for the homeless and by making them inhabitable, cities are effectively denying them a place for rest and comfort.

Armrests on benches

Cities have also put armrests on benches to serve the same purpose. These seemingly innocuous installations are actually implemented to prevent benches from being areas to sleep and rest for the homeless.

This is a Hong Kong specific example - the circular opening in the roof is not an outlet for sunlight, but instead an intentional lack of cover exposing the area to rain. The adjacent acupuncture stones make the small areas of shade that the unusually shaped roof provides equally inaccessible.

Street spikes

Street spikes have been installed on windowsills, under bridges and on sidewalks - all common places of rest for street sleepers. The architectural design is just as uninviting as it looks - homeless people often find themselves forced to relocate from place to place with the excessive spread of such sharp infrastructure over their resting areas.

All of these designs have a common goal and consequence - driving homeless populations out of an area to promote the public image. Hong Kong already has one of the highest levels of homelessness in the world, but the architecture further emphasises that little is being done to actually improve on this inequality. Instead, said architectural reforms are further pushing our homeless population back to the corners of our social periphery, increasing the degree of inequality within the general public. Hostile architecture merely hides the problem of homelessness, while doing little to solve the problem

The implications

Instead of allocating funds towards driving homeless people out and viewing them as permanent marks of dishonor, the priority should be to incorporate the homeless, enabling them to fulfill their potential in contributing to society. According to figures released by the Hong Kong Homeless Census in 2021, the number of people experiencing homelessness stands at a figure of 1532, 983 of which were uncatered for and found on the open streets. However, the remaining 549 weren’t much better off - their living conditions were still subpar, forcing some to go back to the streets.

The impacts on the continued denial of opportunity to the homeless are profound: many suffer from chronic illnesses and physical disabilities due to a lack of physical healthcare, while 25-30% suffer from psychiatric disorders, showing signs of depression and a lack of mental wellbeing.

Solution

As individuals, there is only so much we can do. However, spreading awareness and learning more about community initiatives can enable us to engender greater care and compassion among the public for the less fortunate. Raising awareness and advocating for the issue can always help to encourage the government to rectify their eviction of the homeless. Instead of improving upon replete resources, or implementing temporary fixes to cover up situations in the form of hostile architecture, the government should address the solution directly by improving upon outreach and accommodation services for the homeless - this should be advocated for and emphasized by the public.

In addition to advocacy, getting in contact with NGOs and engaging in community projects can lay the foundation for change and progress.

NGOs you can potentially help out: