The Architecture of Exclusion

    There is a question that has the power to change the world. The question is: What status quo does this design maintain?

    The fact is, a society where certain groups are marginalized and oppressed will always result in architecture that reinforces and perpetuates these prejudices. Physical walls divide suburban blocks, separating historically Black and historically white neighborhoods. Hostile architecture forces homeless people out of wealthier areas, where they are viewed as an eyesore. Lack of bathroom access has historically been used as a tool to exclude any group deemed undesirable. 

    In some ways, exclusive design maintains societal power structures more effectively than laws can. Laws require verbal or written acknowledgment of their injustice. They are inherently confrontational; they say “you can’t do that” or “you don’t belong here.” 

    Exclusive architecture, on the other hand, says all of these things without saying them at all. If you are homeless and a police officer says “You can’t sleep here”, it feels as if the police are unjust. If there are jagged metal spikes preventing you from sleeping, it feels as if the built world itself is unjust. The very ground under your feet is used to harm and exclude you.

    Because of this, discriminatory design lingers after discriminatory laws are abolished. Massive highways designed to enforce segregation still run across towns like raised scars. Building codes, in many cases, do not allow for bathrooms that are not divided by gender. Decades-old benches designed to prevent people from sleeping on them are still functioning as they always have. Lack of sidewalks and public transit make it extremely difficult to function without a car. 

    So, what can we, as individuals, do about these structures that feel so massive and all-encompassing? Well, we can start by asking a question. The next time you are faced with design that feels unwelcoming and restrictive, ask What status quo does this design maintain?

    Once we recognize discriminatory design, we can spread awareness, protest, and campaign against it. The architecture of exclusion relies on its ability to fade into the background, to hide behind its immovable concrete facade. It is time to see exclusive architecture for what it is, and tear it down.

Photo: Imaginechina/REX