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Between Friday 30th and Thursday 5th creative unions sessions, I decided to do some primary research on hostile architecture through keeping an eye out for specific spaces around London that might fit this criteria. There were a variety of structures I saw from unusual shaped benches to deliberate ground textures.

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Impossible to download to padlet no matter how I try, so here is the onedrive link to my reel

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Documenting my ongoing research into the crisis of homelessness in London, its development, current figures, statistics and case studies stories, starting from Friday 30th May Creative Unions session.

Research by Maria Simonova

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Research by Maria Simonova

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Rent for student room in London up by a fifth in two years, report suggests

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An ‘affordability crisis’ in the capital’s housing market was putting students in an impossible position, a housing charity boss has warned.

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Wire Sculpture used in our Film draft made by Maria S

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Wire Sculpture used in our Film draft made by Maria S

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We want to communicate the rise of hostile architecture in neoliberal cities, specifically London, and that although this affects many communities, it is felt most acutely by homeless people.

We will communicate this through performance with hostile architecture in London, exaggerating the discomfort and inaccessibility it causes. This will be paired with voiceovers from interviews and facts/statistics about displacement, homelessness and effect of hostile architecture.

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kings cross red caps/ bylaws stat

being moved out of an area/gentrification

stat about safety for homeless people, they get forced to sleep in more dangerous areas because they are pushed out of nicer areas.

stat about hostile architecture and how it affects homeless - think discomfort, frustration etc

stat/quote about social housing and nothing enough of it, policy issues etc

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Located at London Bridge station on the jubilee line

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Our identities, values and practices.

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Preparations for our Manifesto

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Located near St Paul’s, Belle Sauvage Walk

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Located near St Paul’s Cathedral, under the Millennium Bridge

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Located on Great Queen Street, Covent Garden

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Located outside Space House, Covent Garden

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Located outside St Paul’s Cathedral

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Located outside an office space on Fleet Street

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Large stones placed by an door entrance 

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Large stones placed by an door entrance 

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Located by the skate park, near Southbank Centre

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Notes from Feedback and Questions from Peers after our Group Presentation

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Notes from Feedback and Questions from Peers after our Group Presentation

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Live notes taken from the Feedback and Questions for our Group presentation on our Film Treatment, 05.06.2025

Does Someone know homeless people to interview?

Joe does, there is trust to film them

Not filming someone without their consent

Unethical for Joe to act as a homeless person

Remove this from presentation and edit/refine overall presentation

Meet with Joe as a group and talk it through, remove this idea

Narrow down to talk about one particular issue more in-depth, more in detail

The London Plan & its unmonitored treatment of hostile architecture

Locations - theme and group locations, Kings Cross vs Archway for example, both UAL sites,

Kennington, Peckham, Finsbury Park, Tottenham Hale station, Camden, under bridges

Priority of Councils and development projects

Context of the locations

Target audience - too different? Pick one? What tones could help overlap both?

Interact with hostile architecture as a group art performance? Animation? What's more ethical and impactful/authentic?

Effect of hostile architecture on the general public as well as the homeless, especially the elderly not being able to rest at bus stops for example

Problematic nature of art & design in hostile architecture?

Be very specific with examples of hostile architecture we film, Shoreditch canopy & spikes on the floor

Be playful and ethical, clear audience, clear communication

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It's a good idea to assert a position instead of posing a question and "answering" it

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Research by Maria Simonova

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Facts and figures about homelessness in London are always changing. But, we have pulled together some of the key things you should know:
- According Combined Homelessness and Information Network research, the number of people sleeping rough in London from March 2023 to April 2024 was 19% higher than it was in the year before.

- In December 2024 research from Shelter suggested that one in 47 people in London are homeless.

- Cases of of homelessness in London rose by 54% between 2013 and 2023.

- Figures from the Chartered Institute of Housing in 2023 showed that almost eight times more people lived in temporary accommodation in London compared to the wider country.

- The number of households living in temporary accommodation in the UK has reached its highest level since 2005, with more than 100,000 households affected across England. Almost 60% of these households are in London, including 75,580 children.

- So far in 2024, 55% of people rough sleeping in London have come from outside of the UK.

- In addition to official counts, many more people are 'hidden homeless'. They may be sofa surfing, living in squats or unsecured accommodation, and don't show up in official statistics. This is an under-researched area - in 2017 a London Assembly report estimated that the number of hidden homeless people could be up to 13 times higher than official figures.

Some facts about our work to end homelessness:

We helped 185 people find and move into their own independent homes between April 2023 and March 2024.

Last year, 86% of people in our services who wanted to reconnect with estranged family and friends succeeded in doing so.

We operate across five London boroughs including Croydon, where we are the largest provider of supported housing.

You can read more about us, and our work, here.

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How many homeless people are there in London? Are these figures rising or falling? Facts about homelessness in London and how you can help.

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Research by Maria Simonova

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Many other people are homeless and living in temporary accommodation provided by their local council, such as B&Bs. One in every 51 Londoners is homeless - that's nearly 170,000 people.

The cost of living crisis, along with a significant shortage of affordable housing and insufficient funding for homelessness services, means more people are becoming homeless, but there's less support available. In one of the wealthiest countries in the world, we can and should be doing more to prevent people becoming homeless in the first place, and to better support those who do.

Homelessness can happen to anyone, when something bad happens and you don't have family or friends around to help.

People sometimes assume that those who end up homeless are somehow at fault, or not doing enough to change their situations. The vast majority don't choose to be homeless - they're facing a major crisis that means they've ended up with nowhere to stay, and no one to turn to.

Many people end up in some form of temporary accommodation, such as hostels or B&Bs, sofa-surfing or squatting. There are hundreds of thousands of people in the UK experiencing insecure, unsafe, overcrowded living situations. There are also many thousands spending their nights on the streets, sleeping rough.

With support, people can leave homelessness behind. There are dozens of organisations throughout London working every day to help people off the streets. However, many of them are underfunded to meet the needs of the many homeless people they see, and reliant on grants such as those from Streets of London. Every project we fund is changing and saving lives.

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The number of homeless people in London and across the UK has been increasing for more than a decade.

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It could happen to anyone + case studies

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Research by Maria Simonova

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People end up homeless for many different reasons

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Research by Maria Simonova

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Sleeping rough on the streets of London is dangerous and isolating

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Research by Maria Simonova

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Many homeless people exist out of sight in temporary accommodation

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Research into Student Accommodation Rent Crisis in London

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Research into Student Accommodation Rent Crisis in London

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Documenting my research into the crisis of student accommodation rents and rising living costs in London for students.

Research by Maria Simonova

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Research by Maria Simonova

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Average student rents in London overtake the maximum maintenance loan: The 2024 Accommodation Costs Survey - HEPI

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A new report from Unipol and the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) reveals alarming trends in the London student accommodation market: The report, titled Priced Out? The Accommodation Costs Survey 2024: London Edition (HEPI Report 182) presents data from a wide range of universities and private providers, covering over 70,000 student beds in London. It highlights […]

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Research by Maria Simonova

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Research by Maria Simonova

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Research by Maria Simonova

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Nobody should have to worry about whether they'll have a safe place to sleep tonight.

There should be no question that every person in this country should have secure and adequate housing; it's a human right, and the laws and infrastructure of our country should reflect this. Below are some frequently asked questions about homelessness and how we can address it.

Do people choose to sleep rough? Aren't they entitled to accommodation?

The vast majority of people don't want to be on the streets, and even for those who appear to be intentionally homeless, very often there are underlying causes. A person's previous experiences (such as being a victim of abuse in childhood, or other trauma) may have made them distrustful of other people; they may have completely lost confidence or hope; or they may have substance abuse or mental health issues that have made it very difficult for them to engage with support services in a sustained way. It's hard to say whether anyone really chooses to be homeless therefore.

Entitlement to accommodation isn't always a given. Until recently, people sleeping rough have had to be able to prove a connection to the local area before being considered eligible for housing. Many others who aren't UK nationals, including many EU citizens, aren't entitled to any help because they don't have recourse to public funds.

Even for those who are entitled to help (and who know how to access support) availability can be a major issue. There's limited hostel space and a chronic lack of longer-term housing stock. Local authorities allocate their limited housing stock to people deemed to have 'priority need' (like families), and this often doesn't include people who are sleeping rough.

The Homelessness Reduction Act means that councils now have an increased duty of care to people who are homeless or at risk of it, meaning that people are entitled to support regardless of priority need and intentionality. Nevertheless, it's clear that far more money needs to be made available for hostel space, longer-term housing and wider support for people sleeping rough, so that they are able to escape the damaging effects of life on the streets.

Should I give homeless people money?

On the one hand, giving money can make us feel like we're doing something to offer immediate practical help to someone in clear distress, and it's a kindness that makes people feel seen. On the other hand though, it may not necessarily be that helpful to the person's situation in the long-run, something which can be difficult to establish when meeting someone only briefly.

It's worth bearing in mind that roughly a third of people sleeping rough in London struggle with problematic alcohol use, the same proportion substance use, and roughly half are suffering from poor mental health, with only 28% not having alcohol, substance use or mental health support needs. Therefore, in some of those situations giving money may in fact be prolonging someone's time on the streets by helping them to sustain a street lifestyle, and may be allowing them to sustain a habit of damaging alcohol or drug use that is causing them serious damage.

Ultimately the goal is to help people off the streets for good, so it's worth bearing in mind that most people really need sustained support to end their homelessness, and giving your money to homelessness services is usually a surer way to do this.

Some ways you can help individuals you may see include:

Acknowledge them - smile and say hello, respond if they speak to you, stop for a chat if you like. It's important people don't feel invisible.

Refer the person through StreetLink, which connects rough sleepers to local support services.

If you'd like to give them something, you could ask if they'd like anything to eat or drink.

What works to stop homelessness?

On an individual level, we know that intensive, personalised support can make all the difference to helping people off the streets for good.
People who become homeless need varying levels of support; for some, targeted support with employment or accommodation may be enough. Others, especially those with complex issues, may require much longer term intervention. Ensuring that everyone has access to properly-funded services that will meet their individual needs is key to helping people end their homelessness.
At the societal level, there are a number of things that would help reduce and prevent homelessness:

A legal right to housing, with safe emergency and temporary housing available to anyone who needs it

More affordable homes, e.g. social housing and provision of housing subsidies

Greater protection for private renters

Ensuring wages keep up with increases in house prices

Support for those at risk of becoming homeless, including people leaving institutions such as prison, hospitals and care

Adequate access to advice and support services for people who become homeless

How do people become homeless?

Homelessness affects people from many different backgrounds for any number of reasons. Without a strong system of support around a person, one incident can spark a chain of events that lead to homelessness. Triggers include:

Marriage or relationship break-up

Addiction to/dependence on alcohol, prescription or illegal drugs, or gambling

Job loss, which leads to repossession or inability to pay rent

Mental illness

Physical illness

Escaping an abusive relationship

Getting into debt

Death of a loved one

Leaving institutions (such as army or prison)

Once a person finds him/herself homeless and on the fringes of society, it can be extremely difficult to get back into an everyday routine of secure housing and employment. There are the obvious practical challenges such as finding somewhere to live, sorting out finances and rebuilding relationships, but also the experience of homelessness often leads to or exacerbates problems: illness, addiction, mental illness, isolation and loss of confidence resulting from low self-esteem are just some of the demoralising consequences of experiencing homelessness. Returning to a structured life and re-engaging with society can be a long and pain-staking process.

How many people are homeless in the UK?

A report by Shelter estimated that on any given night in 2023, more than 309,000 people in England were homeless (mostly people living in temporary accommodation arranged by their council).

More than half of these people (167,000) were in London, with 1 in 51 people homeless in the capital.

The ten local authorities with the highest concentrations of homelessness in England (people living in temporary accommodation or rough sleeping) are all in the capital. Newham has the highest rate with 1 in 20 people homeless.

Last year nearly 12,000 people slept rough on London's streets.

I've seen someone sleeping rough. What's the best way to help them?

Some ways you can help individuals you may see include:

Acknowledge them - smile and say hello, respond if they speak to you, stop for a chat if you like. It's important people don't feel invisible.

Refer the person through StreetLink, which connects rough sleepers to local support services

If you'd like to give them something, you could ask if they'd like anything to eat or drink.

Donating your time or money to local homelessness services.

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Answers to some common questions people have about homelessness

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Artists Turn Spiked Step Into Homeless Haven - artnet News

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Learn more about London art collective Space, Not Spikes’s project transforming a step full of “anti-homeless spikes” into a comfortable, welcoming nook.

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HOSTILE ARCHITECTURE Role: Graphic Designer Personal, Photography, Print 2019 OVERVIEW These posters document design against humanity in NYC. Original…

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Art project spotlights ‘insidious’ anti-homeless spikes and hostile architecture

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Hostile architecture campaigners pierce posters of rough sleepers with anti-homeless spikes in London to highlight hostile designs.

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Archisuit consists of an edition of four leisure jogging suits made for specific architectural structures in Los Angeles. The suits include the negative space of the structures and allow a wearer to fit into, or onto, structures designed to deny them.

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It's one of those things that, once you've seen, you can't unsee. Once you've noticed the curved benches, the spikes embedded in doorways, the posts made for leaning rather than sitting, the carefully placed railings... even the planters placed in careful rows outside shops, you can no longer walk through a city without thinking about the fact that it is designed to prevent comfort.

I've written before about the permanent blind spot I developed in my right eye, a "persistent migraine aura" that hovers now at the centre of my computer screen; walking through public spaces where walls are decorated at waist-height with bright metal fins is a similar experience, a constant shimmering reminder of a particular pain. They call these sharp fins and benches "defensive design" or, more accurately, "hostile architecture", where the built environment purposefully guides and restricts behaviour. It's intended to deter homeless people from resting between its sharp or awkward edges but, increasingly, it has the added effect of making a city less comfortable for everyone else.

I find these sanitised spaces make everybody rush through them, meaning there's less opportunity for chance encounters, for communities to form, for idle thought. Rather than making an area feel more safe, these designs impact us in mean and insidious ways, partly because few people would rather lean on a pole than sit on a chair when waiting for their bus, and because uneven surfaces make using a wheelchair or buggy much harder. But also because these grim balls and spikes are a reminder of how we are all being controlled the second we step outside and how, should we take a wrong turn one day and experience homelessness ourselves, the city would change shape.

This year, the Vagrancy Act celebrates its 200th birthday

After Suella Braverman suggested that rough sleeping was a "lifestyle choice", cities saw police officers dispersing homeless people by throwing out their tents. This year, the Vagrancy Act (which made rough sleeping a criminal offence as a response to homelessness among soldiers following the Battle of Waterloo) celebrates its 200th birthday. The government has pledged to scrap it. But instead of getting rid of the act altogether - an acknowledgment that criminalisation is more likely to push someone further away from services that help them move off the streets, rather than resolve the causes of homelessness -, they are bringing in new measures to replace it.

These new measures are just as punitive: police can prosecute rough sleepers or anyone who appears to be homeless, if they say they're "likely to cause" a "nuisance". Under the new criminal justice bill, this includes "excessive smells" and using "insulting" words. Punishment includes prison and fines of up to £2,500.

In 2022, a civil liberties organisation handed out legal advice cards about the laws around Community Protection Notices (CPNs), powers often used today by police and council officers to criminalise behaviour associated with homelessness. Liberty were acting as lawyers for people restricted from things like "loitering" without an appointment, or being "in possession of any open containers or cups", which they could potentially use to beg for money.

As if it isn't dangerous, traumatic or humiliating enough to sleep on the street, you not only face punishment for doing so, but the architecture itself is also designed to move you on. A steel and concrete reminder that you are unwelcome here, a project in erasure. Last week, it was announced that an official count of the deaths of homeless people would no longer be published in England and Wales. The homelessness charity Crisis said this move would "only ensure this needless suffering continues out of sight".

Walking through the city I have the growing feeling that our government is more interested in removing homeless people from view than removing homelessness itself. In the US, there's evidence that backs this up; cities there are spending more on criminalising and displacing rough sleepers than it costs to house them. "Sweeps, incarceration, enforcement of anti-panhandling laws and hostile architecture, after all, come with a hefty price tag estimated to be more than $31,000 per person, per year," reports Jacobin. "The annual cost of providing supportive housing, according to the same analysis, is $10,051 - or less than a third of the cost of criminalisation."

It's becoming more and more clear that we are welcome in public spaces only if we are moving fast and spending money. And yet, we are all one missed rent payment, one bad boyfriend, one sharp new policy away from poverty or homelessness. Last year, record numbers of people sought help in accessing homeless services, food banks and energy bill support, Citizens Advice reported, amid the "cost of living crisis". This phrase - we use it so casually today, immunised against its real meaning, which is the extortionate price of staying alive. These spikes are a grim illustration of how public spaces are increasingly not for the public at all. While billionaires build underground bunkers, and suburban doorbell security cameras monitor every passerby's movement, as I pass another sloping bench, this hostile architecture feels like a concrete embodiment of a society at war with itself.
Email Eva at e.wiseman@observer.co.uk or follow her on X @EvaWiseman

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Hostile architecture is making our cities even less welcoming | Eva Wiseman

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Uncomfortable benches, poles to lean against, walls embedded with metal fins... The use of defensive design means that our cities now exude a sense of menace

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In recent years, the architectural community has become heavily involved, in both positive and negative ways, with the chronic global issue of homelessness. In response, James Furzer of UK-based Spatial Design Architects has undertaken a photographic analysis exploring defensive forms of urban design. Using the typology of public benches in London, Furzer documents public fixtures which act as deterrents to rough sleepers, essentially denying a right to the city for those who ultimately have no choice but to be there.
News via: Spatial Design Architects.
Using the public benches of London as a photographic subject, Furzer reveals an underlying deterrent quality which may remain unnoticed by the everyday user. In particular, he documents the " Camden bench," an award-winning public piece of street furniture commissioned by the London Borough of Camden, whose design ethos was to influence the public and restrict undesirable behavior. Formed of exposed concrete and a steel frame, the bench's angular shape creates an uncomfortable base to deter rough sleepers. As Furzer explains:

There is a need for architecture and public space to address the physical issue of rough sleeping and homelessness. Examples of benches such as the Camden bench, and the benches directly outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, show a lack of designer's duties being undertaken, hidden behind the noted façade of functionality.

Furzer's photographic analysis sits within a broader context of urban fixtures designed to deter rough sleeping. As argued by Guardian writer Alex Andreou, an "out of sight, out of mind" mentality within both British and other western policy-making has resulted in fixtures such as the now-infamous "anti-homeless spikes" outside buildings, and pavement sprinklers which deter prolonged occupation.

Evidently, we must now contend with a reality that, in societies claiming to be democratic, free, and accountable, items as accessible as a public bench are used as a tool to unseat our cities' most vulnerable inhabitants.

Defensive Architecture Creates Unlivable Cities

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How Aggressive Architecture Designs the Homeless Out of the Public Realm

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In recent years, the architectural community has become heavily involved, in both positive and negative ways, with the chronic global issue of homelessness. In response, James Furzer of UK-based Spatial Design Architects has undertaken a photographic analysis exploring defensive forms of urban design.

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Hostile architecture and its impact on homelessness - Single Homeless Project

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Hostile architecture treats people on the street like pests, failing to address the causes of homelessness and pushing them away from support.

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CONTEMPORARY100 on Instagram: "‘The Fakir’s Rest’ (2003) 6 minute video artwork by Stéphane Argillet and Gilles Paté

“Inquiry on anti-homeless furnitures in Paris. Devices placed in front of banks and representative places physically prevent homeless to stay and begg. Those who resist can be called the “fakirs” of public places. Realised by Stéphane Argillet and Gilles Paté, Production Canal Marches 2003 duration : 6’. More on site : gilfakir.com”"

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1M likes, 2,952 comments - contemporary100 on December 20, 2024: "‘The Fakir’s Rest’ (2003) 6 minute video artwork by Stéphane Argillet and Gilles Paté

“Inquiry on anti-homeless furnitures in Paris. Devices placed in front of banks and representative places physically prevent homeless to stay and begg. Those who resist can be called the “fakirs” of public places. Realised by Stéphane Argillet and Gilles Paté, Production Canal Marches 2003 duration : 6’. More on site : gilfakir.com”". 

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View this post on Instagram

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Writer recommended by Verity, article exploring how gentrification affects people in London who live in social housing, as well as poorer communities who are being forced to move out of areas they have called home for generations. Looks at protests like the E15 mums protest to show people fighting back against gentrification.

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When Amal had stopped crying, she apologised. "I wake up so sick, you know? I have to go to study but I feel so sick." A victim of domestic violence and now a single mother, she lives with her three young children in grimy temporary accommodation in Tooting, south London. She was telling me that Wandsworth council, which has a legal obligation to house the family, tried sending them to a rented flat on the outskirts of Newcastle, then suggested West Bromwich. She'd never heard of either place. "I said to them, 'I already told you, I have a job interview in London, I am studying in London, my children are at school in London, my ex-husband visits every week to help with the children.'"

West Bromwich, the council insisted, was her last chance. Otherwise she would be declared "intentionally homeless", and be put out with her young children on the street. "They said, 'just one option: West Bromwich.' If I said no, they wouldn't give me another chance."

This was one London council's response to the housing crisis - to spend £5m on properties for their poorer families, hundreds of miles away, while across the borough, the Meccano scaffolds rose up for the £15bn development of Nine Elms, where most flats will cost more than £1m.

The same year I met Amal, in 2014, on the other side of London the now notorious Focus E15 Mums were stepping up their campaign to remain in the city where they'd been born. "Nine billion pounds on the Olympics and they're telling us and our babies we have to go live in Hastings," lamented 19-year-old Adora Chilaisha during their occupation of East Thames housing association offices, as the hokey cokey played out in the background. "There's no way I'm going anywhere," she said. "My boy Desean is one, and I don't want him to grow up away from his family, from his home. I don't know anyone in Hastings."

Two years later, both Amal and Adora and their children are still in London after a long and exhausting struggle against the authorities to simply stay where they are. Meanwhile, those same authorities prostrate themselves before luxury property developers, Chinese business conglomerates and buy-to-let rentiers.

Opposition to gentrification is rapidly becoming less marginal, and more organised

Gentrification is an intensely emotive issue with almost endless potential for argument. That shouldn't be in the least bit surprising - it speaks to fundamental questions of home, identity and community, how those places define us, and how we define them. The process of displacement of society's poorest members is, of course, not a new thing. You can trace it back centuries, to a time when there was a literal gentry responsible for social cleansing; when the bailiffs were on horseback and "artisanal" was a descriptor of a pre-industrial social class, rather than vogueish hipster branding.

Nonetheless, there is something of the zeitgeist about gentrification. Until a few years ago, only academic geographers and housing campaigners used the term. In recent years, however, the subject has entered the mainstream, and the word has become increasingly ubiquitous in what seems like almost every city across the world. But it is not only the debate that has intensified: opposition to gentrification is rapidly becoming less marginal, and more organised. While it is easy to locate historical rent strikes and neighbourhood uprisings to what you might call gentrification avant la lettre, for the first time, gentrification itself is a serious point of political contention - and resistance.

The tipping point in the UK came last autumn, when members of Class War's so-called Fuck Parade, flaming torches in hand, daubed "SCUM" on the windows of east London's quintessential hipster cafe, Cereal Killer. The restaurant was already castigated by Channel Four News for serving £4 bowls of cereal in a borough in which thousands of poor families can't afford to feed their children. Although several people, myself included, argued that the bearded cereal entrepreneurs were hardly gentrification's true villains, the news was reported around the world - not just as a riot that launched a thousand hot takes, but as the expression of a rising tide of anger. The issue had leaped into the mainstream.

Last month, the pre-Christmas episode of This American Life featured an astonishing segment about a San Francisco dad going to see his six-year-old daughter in her school play, and discovering that the entire show was a fierce polemic against the malign influence of tech companies making the city "a sterile playground for the rich". The play culminates in a huge demonstration outside city hall, with the young children holding placards reading "resistance = love of community" and singing that the city is not for sale.

So why now? The short answer is demand and supply: demand for well-positioned urban space is higher than ever, while the supply of housing options for the urban poor, and the strength and willingness of the state to provide them, is weaker than in decades. In urban policy, we are witnessing the triumph of the market and the capitulation of the state. If an area becomes desirable to those with money - regardless if it was hitherto undesirable or dominated by public housing - then sooner or later, the wealthy will get what they want. "The problem," said Yolande Barthes from Savills estate agents at a Guardian Live debate last month, "is the area of London that people want to live in hasn't expanded at the same rate as the population."

As London's affordable housing crisis deepens - spurred by the collapse of new social housing construction, and the sale of hundreds of thousands more social flats under right-to-buy - the galvanisation of the British capital's local communities has been astonishing. This customised Google Map, created by Action East End, drops pins on the map for each hyper-local campaign. From Save Chrisp Street Market in the east to Save Portobello Road Market in the west, the campaigns - many formed only in the last year - range from demands to protect existing social housing, to protests against new luxury flat developments or against the destruction of community assets such as much-loved markets, nurseries, pubs and small businesses. At the time of writing, there are 53 different campaigns.

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Focus E15 Mums fought eviction from the Carpenters Estate. Photograph: Jess Hurd/Guardian

One is Reclaim Brixton, who formed in March 2015 in opposition to the rapidly accelerating gentrification of the south London area. Co-founder Cyndi Anafo's mother used to run a Ghanaian grocery in the covered market that has recently been rebranded Brixton Village, a target destination for food tourists and wealthy Londoners. Via social media, Anafo and friends arranged meetings, leading to a carnival-cum-demonstration in Brixton town centre that drew thousands and attracted widespread national media attention. "For about 20 years it's been on the edge of gentrification," Anafo says. "But the last five or six years it's all come to the fore - Reclaim Brixton came about chiefly through frustration."

'Middle-aged, middle-class dinosaurs ... determined to keep London shitty'

Giles Coren on anti-gentrifiers

While the transformation of Brixton is visible in the proliferation of more expensive shops, bars and restaurants, and the influx of a non-resident, affluent demographic visiting places like Champagne + Fromage, Anafo is clear that the cultural and commercial changes are not the main event. "It all comes down to housing," she says. "Being a kind of 'accidental activist', and getting to know all the existing housing groups, made me realise the severity of the situation on the ground in Brixton, meeting people who are on eviction lists. People moan about particular types of businesses or shops, or estate agents like Foxtons, but my feeling is that rent stabilisation is something that could help everyone."

Last June, Berlin made headlines when it began enforcing rent controls for all, limiting landlords to charging new tenants more than 10% above the local average. The previous year rents had gone up by more than 9%. "We don't want a situation like in London or Paris," said Reiner Wild of the Berlin Tenants' Association. Such strident legislation to protect poorer citizens does not just drop out of the sky, of course. It emerges from a history of equally robust civic campaigning on housing, gentrification and the right to the city.

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The Tacheles in Berlin was formed in the 1990s as a squat by artists seeking to save the building from demolition. It closed in 2012. Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty

Nottingham University geographer Alex Vasudevan, author of a recent book on the subject, Metropolitan Preoccupations, says Berlin is in a sense diametrically different from London - it's a very poor city, where wages are one-third lower than its western German neighbours. "In the wake of unification Berlin has seen waves of gentrification, while remaining very poor by German standards," says Vasudevan. "Before the fall of the wall, there were subsidies given to squatters to renovate buildings, and they would be legalised as a result - a kind of compromise. But that programme ended in 2002, and since the wall came down Berlin has become this laboratory of neoliberal urban governance."

The architects of gentrification are extremely careful not to talk about it

As in London, Vasudevan says, funding for social housing collapsed, and simultaneously thousands of what used to be social housing properties were privatised. "Berlin tried to become a financial centre. It failed. So then they went with the whole 'creative city' agenda, or at least a version of it, connected with touristification and this kind of 'Airbnb urbanism'. There's a great Aibrnb map of Kreuzberg: until recently there was only one property in that neighbourhood that was available on the normal rental market - everything else was Airbnb."

Grassroots resistance in Berlin has revolved mostly around "very local geographies", such as saving one particular building, park, housing project, or even fighting the eviction of a much-loved Turkish grocery store. Nonetheless, Vasudevan explains that each victory has galvanised the city as a whole, and made gentrification even more of a common talking point than it is in London. The challenge now has been scaling up, making connections, and sharing information between neighbourhoods, and even internationally.

"They've managed to get the rent cap by just being incredibly well-organised, and absolutely dogged - and they are also good at talking to each other. You have local working-class Germans who remained in Kreuzberg, and Turkish migrants collaborating; so everything is written in both German and Turkish, they're all networked."

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The gigantic crocheted tribute to Wes Anderson which appeared at Bushwick Flea Market in Brooklyn. Photograph: London Kaye

They're also talking to the Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca (PAH) in Spain, the grassroots group whose phenomenal success of blocking thousands of evictions propelled its spokeswoman, Ada Colau, to become mayor of Barcelona. Spain's housing crisis has been so destructive that the PAH's use of community self-organisation and support, and direct action to block evictions, has been copied across the world. I've seen Spanish parents in tears in PAH meetings, being comforted by their foreign-born (often Latin American) neighbours, before rallying to take on the banks trying to evict them. I've also seen Sí Se Puede, the PAH documentary, screened to housing activists in London. The international sharing of both tactics and inspiration highlights globalisation's double-edged sword: property developers and investors may be operating simultaneously in Berlin, London and Barcelona, but the people resisting gentrification in these cities are beginning to network themselves, too.

What remains to be seen is whether campaigning against gentrification will grow into any city-wide protests. Certainly, the "G" word has been tapped as the new culprit for a lot of urban tensions emerging from the influx of younger, whiter, wealthier people into city cores. After a "yarn-bombing" artist, with the support of the hipster Bushwick Flea market, put up a 15ft crochet homage to Wes Anderson on the exterior wall of his family home in Bushwick without asking for permission, New Yorker Will Giron wrote: "Gentrification has gotten to the point where every time I see a group of young white millennials in the hood my heart starts racing and a sense of anxiety starts falling over me."

***

The argument that gentrification represents a kind of urban neocolonialism is hard to miss. Spike Lee made it clear with his viral rant against "Christopher Columbus syndrome" in Brooklyn. Indeed, after decades of "white flight" to the US suburbs, since 2010 American cities have seen increases in white populations. Protests in 2014 targeted Microsoft's corporate shuttle buses in Seattle; not only did they raise rents, went the argument, they didn't integrate, adding to social tensions in a city where working-class African-Americans were being pushed out. That same year, a video went viral of (older, whiter) Dropbox employees trying to get rid of mostly Latino young people from a football pitch in San Francisco's Mission district. (The Latinos protested, and won.)

It is surely the higher-profile, less sensitive invasions that get the headlines, but they speak to a deeper malaise of newly arriving communities with no interest in connecting with the existing populations they are displacing. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out," they seem to say.

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Gentrification X: how an academic argument became the people's protest

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In the first of a special series on the impact of gentrification on cities around the world, Dan Hancox meets victims and beneficiaries of this highly emotive issue - and finds that the anger is real, and resistance is coming to a head

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Might be good for punchy statistics in our film.

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Facts and figures about homelessness in London are always changing. But, we have pulled together some of the key things you should know:
- According Combined Homelessness and Information Network research, the number of people sleeping rough in London from March 2023 to April 2024 was 19% higher than it was in the year before.

- In December 2024 research from Shelter suggested that one in 47 people in London are homeless.

- Cases of of homelessness in London rose by 54% between 2013 and 2023.

- Figures from the Chartered Institute of Housing in 2023 showed that almost eight times more people lived in temporary accommodation in London compared to the wider country.

- The number of households living in temporary accommodation in the UK has reached its highest level since 2005, with more than 100,000 households affected across England. Almost 60% of these households are in London, including 75,580 children.

- So far in 2024, 55% of people rough sleeping in London have come from outside of the UK.

- In addition to official counts, many more people are 'hidden homeless'. They may be sofa surfing, living in squats or unsecured accommodation, and don't show up in official statistics. This is an under-researched area - in 2017 a London Assembly report estimated that the number of hidden homeless people could be up to 13 times higher than official figures.

Some facts about our work to end homelessness:

We helped 185 people find and move into their own independent homes between April 2023 and March 2024.

Last year, 86% of people in our services who wanted to reconnect with estranged family and friends succeeded in doing so.

We operate across five London boroughs including Croydon, where we are the largest provider of supported housing.

You can read more about us, and our work, here.

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How many homeless people are there in London? Are these figures rising or falling? Facts about homelessness in London and how you can help.

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Explores how homelessness might look in people with varying forms of support and situations. Reveals that it's a very individual and situational experience.

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Homelessness in London looks different for everybody. It might be most visible as the person you see on the street, but it is much bigger than that.

What does homelessness look like?

Someone is homeless if they do not have a secure or reliable place to live - beyond that, people's circumstances vary greatly. There are three common forms of homelessness that it is helpful to understand.
Rough sleeping
The most visible, and often most dangerous type of homelessness. This is when people have nowhere at all to stay and are sleeping outside or in public spaces. People sleeping rough are the most likely to experience trauma or fall victim to crime.
Hidden homelessness
Less obvious, but more common than rough sleeping. People experiencing 'hidden homelessness' have nowhere reliable to stay, but are not necessarily on the streets. Instead they find informal arrangements like sofa surfing, living with friends, or staying in unregistered accommodation. People in this situation can be at risk of abuse or exploitation.

This situation is particularly common for young people, women, and people who have been trafficked into London. It is difficult to assess how many people fall into this category, as they rarely show up in surveys, research or official records.
Temporary accommodation
When someone has made a homelessness application to a local council and been deemed in priority need of housing, the council may place them in temporary accommodation if they have nothing else available. This might be a private flat, a B&B or a hostel. The quality of this accommodation in London varies significantly, and people can find themselves there for years if nothing permanent becomes available. In 2023 official figures stated that 60,580 households in London lived in temporary accommodation.

What causes homelessness?

The causes of homelessness are unique to each person. They vary considerably, from family breakdown to financial instability, mental health issues, addiction and more. Our own research has found that a significant proportion of the people we work with have experienced childhood trauma, but this is not always the case.

To support people impacted by homelessness we must understand their individual circumstances, in order to help them address the specific challenges that they face.

Read more about the current scale of homelessness in London here.

Find out more about how you can help if you see someone who is sleeping rough here.

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Different forms of homelessness - Evolve

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Understanding different foms of homelessness is vital if we are to end it for good. It takes many forms, and has many different causes.

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How to help someone who is homeless - Evolve

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It can be hard to know how to help someone who is homeless in London. But if you see someone on the street, there are things that you can do.

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Government Support for People about to Become Homeless

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Government Support for People about to Become Homeless

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In England, your council must help if you're legally homeless or will become homeless within the next 8 weeks.

You may be legally homeless if:

you've no legal right to live in accommodation anywhere in the world

you cannot get into your home, for example your landlord has locked you out

it's not reasonable to stay in your home, for example you're at risk of violence or abuse

you're forced to live apart from your family or people you normally live with because there's no suitable accommodation for you

you're living in very poor conditions such as overcrowding

Find your council

Find your council to get help and advice.

What help you can get

There are different types of support your council could offer you. For example, they may offer you advice, emergency housing, support to find longer-term housing or help so you can stay in your home.

The type of help you can get depends on:

your eligibility for assistance

if you're in priority need

what caused you to become homeless

Eligibility for assistance

If you live permanently in the UK, you'll usually be eligible for assistance.

If you're from abroad, you may not be eligible because of your immigration status. For more information, check Shelter's guide on housing rights.

Priority need

You may be in priority need if any of the following are true:

you or someone you live with is pregnant

'dependent children' live with you (under 16s or under 19s if they're studying full-time)

you're 16 or 17

you're under 21 and were in care between the ages of 16 and 18

you're assessed by the council as vulnerable, for example as a result of old age, disability or domestic abuse

you're homeless after a flood, fire or other disaster

Get advice and support

You can get further advice and support from Shelter England.

Legal advice

You may be able to get free legal advice for housing problems including if you're being evicted or you've been made homeless. Check if you can get legal aid.

You can get advice from Civil Legal Advice, if you're eligible, or you can search for a legal aid adviser.

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Help if you're homeless or about to become homeless

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Skip to main content We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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Information and Support for Homeless Immigrants

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Information and Support for Homeless Immigrants

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The process of receiving government support as someone who hasn't lived in the UK can be more difficult, so Shelter provides information about what support can be received from your local council.

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Homeless applications: Immigration and residence - Shelter England

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When you ask for homeless help the council checks that you’re eligible for assistance. Find out about immigration conditions that affect a homeless application.

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Reveals how the effects of lockdown caused him to become homeless due to instability and abuse at home.

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2020 was undoubtedly challenging for many people living in London, but for Gabe it’s been more than that. It’s been a test of character, confidence and strength which led Gabe to leaving his abusive family home during lockdown, after it all became too much. “It always felt toxic, but it got to a point where […]

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Reveals how her disabilities and lack of support led her into homelessness, but then of the support she received from Evolve housing to get back on her feet.https://www.evolvehousing.org.uk/stories/another-person/https://www.evolvehousing.org.uk/stories/another-person/

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Through receiving highly creative and tailored support at Evolve, Sharon shares her story of how things have improved since coming off the streets: ’Before I came to Alexandra House, I was very low, I lost a lot of weight and I knew that I could not carry on with the life that I was leading. Now […]

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Speaks of issues with policy in relation to universal credit and benefits, and the conflict of having her housing benefit taken away once getting a full time job even though she was still in supported housing, then the arrears/debts which amounted as a result of this.

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We spoke to Ellie in her own independent accommodation In Peckham. Just a few months before, her life had been very different.

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Not enough affordable housing

Risky private rental sector

A political choice to keep 'no fault' evictions

Discrimination and inequality

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Archisuit consists of an edition of four leisure jogging suits made for specific architectural structures in Los Angeles. The suits include the negative space of the structures and allow a wearer to fit into, or onto, structures designed to deny them.

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London activists neutralise anti-homeless spikes with mattress and bookshelf - video

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A group of activists set out to undermine anti-homeless spikes, which prevent people sleeping in public and private spaces

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Example of a still from one of the film shots, by Maria S

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Example of a still from one of the film shots, by Maria S

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Finalise what we want to communicate

what's our niche? what's the message? how are you going to communicate it?

Get interview notes from Joe

Write quick script for voiceover

Create voiceover

Final Storyboard

Start editing

Think about music ?

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What do you think about the red caps and the control/security in the King's Cross area?

Do you think they are pushing homeless people out of the area? What effect do you think this has on them?

What do you think hostile architecture is? How would you describe it?

Do you think it's ethical for cities to be introducing hostile architecture? (archived footage sound)

What do you think the effect of hostile architecture might be on homeless people? (talk about research and statistics)

What message do you think hostile architecture sends to homeless people?

Do you think governments should regulate or ban hostile architecture in public spaces?

Do you think the government are doing enough to help homeless people? (Could all say no) (Could also be Joe's interview)

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Wire isn’t really working/ hasn’t been integrated very well

either just do wire or just do performance with hostile architecture

they prefer the performance because it shows more discomfort and frustration

Showing more discomfort/exaggerating discomfort more

Ethical consideration of using red caps faces

Implementation of sculpture?

Presents hostile architecture in a neutral way, could edit it to manipulate the viewer so they feel more empathetic

With red caps you could try showing them from behind so more anonymous, try to convey them as if they’re puppets being used by the system because it’s not them personally causing displacement as they’re just doing their jobs

Liked the way we had used hostile architecture to show discomfort and inaccessibility of places in London and neoliberal spaces

Just need to show more frustration about the situation and how this can be conveyed to encourage the viewer to empathise/sympathise

Liked the stop motion of movement

Verity suggested reference from architecture journal about how’s spaces affect women specifically

How are these spaces affected different groups/communities?

Does this all have to be just about homelessness or can we think about women with prams and buggies, elderly who need to sit down, etc

Can you include voiceovers from these people so that your audience can empathise more? They may not be able to relate to homelessness so this feeling of frustration due to discomfort might resonate with them more

Needs more editing and sound to communicate more clearly

Needs more close ups of people navigating the hostile architecture

Make it more exaggerated, really show the frustration of discomfort in these spaces

Focus on hostile architecture now, this niche is good, people will be able to relate more to this as well

set the scene through your statement, you only see it when you see it, you only experience it when you have to sleep on it or sit on it otherwise you might not notice

"the rise of hostile architecture is rising in neoliberal cities, and this is felt most acutely by homeless people"

as demonstrated in kings cross, new developments

specifically in London

quasi-public/private spaces

what is it? no where is it felt more acutely than homeless people, go into performance, then facts and statistics

could include interview with people about their opinions on hostile architecture in case we need more voiceover

You need to upload everything to miro because a second tutor will be looking at your work, needs to be clear that we've all contributed

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Ask people to answer interview questions

find archived sound footage in relation to ethics and hostile architecture

find statistics to overlay on film

go back to colour video

add in background sound

add title

record ourselves talking about research we've found etc

Overlay statistics on film

add credits

collate sound

upload everything to miro

Submit

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Hostile architecture and its impact on homelessness - Single Homeless Project

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Hostile architecture treats people on the street like pests, failing to address the causes of homelessness and pushing them away from support.

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"Anti-homeless" benches and spikes used to deter rough sleepers should not be used in Wales, two charities have said.

The Wallich said so-called hostile architecture makes life more difficult for homeless people and "pushes them to the peripheries".

A petition against it was signed by 120 people and debated by a Welsh assembly committee.

Both Swansea and Cardiff councils said they had not designed benches to prevent homeless people lying down.

Private landlords are allowed to erect fences of up to a metre high, or install items such as spikes which could be classed as hostile architecture without planning permission.

The group behind the petition, People Over Profit, said the the practice was an "attempt to hide the homeless".

The Wallich said it is "concerned about the growing amount of hostile architecture in urban environments and its effect on people experiencing homelessness."

"We disagree with any infrastructure that makes life more difficult for already vulnerable people," it added.

"If the intention is genuine, bench barriers for example are sometimes said to aid mobility, then planners need to recognise the effects their structures could have on people who are homeless and incorporate them into their impact assessments."

But councils have denied the intentional use of hostile architecture to prevent rough sleeping.

"The notion that the council is buying benches with features designed to stop rough sleepers using them as beds is frankly ridiculous," said councillor Lynda Thorne, member for housing on Cardiff council.

"What's important in all of this is getting rough sleepers off the street, not worrying about whether lying on a bench is better for someone than lying on the floor."

A Swansea council spokesperson added: "It is absolutely wrong to suggest that the council has introduced 'hostile' architecture in Swansea.

"Anybody who visits the city centre will know that we have a range of bench and seating styles which, between them, attempt to offer comfort to all our residents and visitors.

"For example, some older items feature several armrests which are useful for people who need support to stand up after a rest.

"The council has done a great deal of work for rough sleepers and has a new strategy to tackle homelessness. We ensure support and advice is provided to rough sleepers within 48 hours."

Homelessness charity Shelter Cymru echoed the calls from the Wallich, but said it did not have specific data for Wales on the topic.

"The use of hostile architecture such as spikes, armrests in the middle of benches and railings to prevent people who are homeless from being able to lie down or sit in certain spaces chimes with a wider intolerance of people sleeping rough," a spokesperson said.

"The resources spent on designing, installing and maintaining these barriers would be better spent on addressing the root causes of homelessness to prevent it from occurring in the first place; and ensuring that where it does occur, meaningful solutions are on offer.

"We welcome the proposal to include this issue as a planning matter."

Architect Jonathan Adams told BBC Radio Wales benches designed to stop rough sleepers were "ubiquitous and horrible".

Local authorities or private landlords are responsible for street furniture, but the Welsh Government said it had committed £30m to help tackle homelessness.

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"Anti-homeless" benches and spikes used to deter rough sleepers should not be used in Wales, two charities have said. The Wallich said so-called hostile architecture makes life more difficult for homeless people and "pushes them to the peripheries". A petition against it was signed by 120 people and debated by a Welsh assembly committee.

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It's one of those things that, once you've seen, you can't unsee. Once you've noticed the curved benches, the spikes embedded in doorways, the posts made for leaning rather than sitting, the carefully placed railings... even the planters placed in careful rows outside shops, you can no longer walk through a city without thinking about the fact that it is designed to prevent comfort.

I've written before about the permanent blind spot I developed in my right eye, a "persistent migraine aura" that hovers now at the centre of my computer screen; walking through public spaces where walls are decorated at waist-height with bright metal fins is a similar experience, a constant shimmering reminder of a particular pain. They call these sharp fins and benches "defensive design" or, more accurately, "hostile architecture", where the built environment purposefully guides and restricts behaviour. It's intended to deter homeless people from resting between its sharp or awkward edges but, increasingly, it has the added effect of making a city less comfortable for everyone else.

I find these sanitised spaces make everybody rush through them, meaning there's less opportunity for chance encounters, for communities to form, for idle thought. Rather than making an area feel more safe, these designs impact us in mean and insidious ways, partly because few people would rather lean on a pole than sit on a chair when waiting for their bus, and because uneven surfaces make using a wheelchair or buggy much harder. But also because these grim balls and spikes are a reminder of how we are all being controlled the second we step outside and how, should we take a wrong turn one day and experience homelessness ourselves, the city would change shape.

This year, the Vagrancy Act celebrates its 200th birthday

After Suella Braverman suggested that rough sleeping was a "lifestyle choice", cities saw police officers dispersing homeless people by throwing out their tents. This year, the Vagrancy Act (which made rough sleeping a criminal offence as a response to homelessness among soldiers following the Battle of Waterloo) celebrates its 200th birthday. The government has pledged to scrap it. But instead of getting rid of the act altogether - an acknowledgment that criminalisation is more likely to push someone further away from services that help them move off the streets, rather than resolve the causes of homelessness -, they are bringing in new measures to replace it.

These new measures are just as punitive: police can prosecute rough sleepers or anyone who appears to be homeless, if they say they're "likely to cause" a "nuisance". Under the new criminal justice bill, this includes "excessive smells" and using "insulting" words. Punishment includes prison and fines of up to £2,500.

In 2022, a civil liberties organisation handed out legal advice cards about the laws around Community Protection Notices (CPNs), powers often used today by police and council officers to criminalise behaviour associated with homelessness. Liberty were acting as lawyers for people restricted from things like "loitering" without an appointment, or being "in possession of any open containers or cups", which they could potentially use to beg for money.

As if it isn't dangerous, traumatic or humiliating enough to sleep on the street, you not only face punishment for doing so, but the architecture itself is also designed to move you on. A steel and concrete reminder that you are unwelcome here, a project in erasure. Last week, it was announced that an official count of the deaths of homeless people would no longer be published in England and Wales. The homelessness charity Crisis said this move would "only ensure this needless suffering continues out of sight".

Walking through the city I have the growing feeling that our government is more interested in removing homeless people from view than removing homelessness itself. In the US, there's evidence that backs this up; cities there are spending more on criminalising and displacing rough sleepers than it costs to house them. "Sweeps, incarceration, enforcement of anti-panhandling laws and hostile architecture, after all, come with a hefty price tag estimated to be more than $31,000 per person, per year," reports Jacobin. "The annual cost of providing supportive housing, according to the same analysis, is $10,051 - or less than a third of the cost of criminalisation."

It's becoming more and more clear that we are welcome in public spaces only if we are moving fast and spending money. And yet, we are all one missed rent payment, one bad boyfriend, one sharp new policy away from poverty or homelessness. Last year, record numbers of people sought help in accessing homeless services, food banks and energy bill support, Citizens Advice reported, amid the "cost of living crisis". This phrase - we use it so casually today, immunised against its real meaning, which is the extortionate price of staying alive. These spikes are a grim illustration of how public spaces are increasingly not for the public at all. While billionaires build underground bunkers, and suburban doorbell security cameras monitor every passerby's movement, as I pass another sloping bench, this hostile architecture feels like a concrete embodiment of a society at war with itself.
Email Eva at e.wiseman@observer.co.uk or follow her on X @EvaWiseman

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Hostile architecture is making our cities even less welcoming | Eva Wiseman

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Uncomfortable benches, poles to lean against, walls embedded with metal fins... The use of defensive design means that our cities now exude a sense of menace

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Rough sleepers are being punished by measures introduced to tackle antisocial behaviour.

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A Hostile Architecture Tour Around London — Part 2

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This is a follow-up to my first article on hostile architecture in London from April 2022. This time with even more photos, and some…

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In my previous two instalments of this series I first rather randomly wandered around London to stumble over some examples of hostile architecture. In the second part I dug a bit deeper into the history and theory of defensive design. In this third and last part I will first try to give my impressions some order, and then pick up on a question that has bothered me from the beginning about how much deliberate planning goes into designing hostile architectural elements.

Attempts at categorization

In my first article I grouped my findings along technical aspects, like anti-homeless spikes and benches. This time I want to find a more abstract way to categorize different types of defensive design I encountered:

1. Elements clearly designed with hostile/defensive intent (e.g. spikes, roughed surface features, anti-skating features)

2. Designs that are ambiguous, having certain hostile design elements, but also offer some deniability for the designer ("plausible deniability")

3. Design elements which have no specific defensive elements, but communicating that certain activities (e.g. "loitering" or feeling to comfortable) are not intended.

4. "Retrofitted" elements added to otherwise normal designs (e.g. some features added later to benches or walls)

Obviously this list is neither covering complete nor do objects always fall clearly into one category alone. The first category, the spikes to prevent people (i.e. homeless people) from sleeping and loitering are so limited to specific areas that they become almost pointless (considering the overall context). Mainly found in the City of London (with Limehouse being an outlier) the cost of installing them appears to be prohibitive unless some truly important place is in need of defending itself.

Plausible Deniability

This is the most fascinating category and the one where I have received the most pushback: I have seen some design elements being defended as "mobility aid" or "privacy separator" (based on he theory that dividers encourage strangers to use a bench together). It is interesting however that those arguments are not found in product descriptions. Some, like design company Factory Furniture (see next section) openly acknowledge the double purpose of certain design elements. Those element may serve some function, but that does not exclude their purpose as being hostile or defensive at the same time.

In addition, the "mobility aid" argument appears strange considering the large amount of installations in public spaces (often curved or uncomfortably shaped, made from cold materials like concrete or stone) with no armrests or backrests at all, which are nevertheless described as "inclusive" (e.g. see Factory Furniture's Bromley project).

Transparency of intentions

Since I started this series I wondered how open manufacturers, designers and urban planners actually are about their intentions when it comes to defensive design elements.

This is not an easy thing to pin down: However, after much searching I have found at least some examples where local authority, designers and law enforcement worked openly hand in hand and made no secret of their aims.

Identifying the designers of urban furniture (e.g. benches) is also often not straight forward either: No bench is being sold as "anti-homeless bench" or even as "anti-social behaviour urban bench" as such, and urban furniture is normally not labelled.

"Factory Furniture", an Oxfordshire based designer of urban furniture (and designer of the infamous Camden benches, see Part I of this series) like benches, tables etc is likely the most open and transparent designer of defensive furniture and public spaces. They maintain various projects pages which documents the ideas behind the designs. Their project page for Camden, London gives a unique insight into the design process:

The brief was aimed to address anti-social and criminal behaviour that typically plague city centre benches [..] Working with various departments various departments including Transport Planning, Highways Engineers, DDA officers and the Met police's Crime Prevention Design Advisor¹

It also mentions "the lack of slots and crevices deters those wishing to stash drugs" to justify the solid bench designs, apparently a feature of traditional benches I have not been aware of.

Also, their project page for Bromley confirms my assumption that many of the more extravagantly designed public spaces (with no obvious hostile elements) are designed with anti-social behaviour in mind:

was designed with contemporary street seating needs in mind; for example, being as inclusive as possible whilst resisting criminal and anti-social behaviour²

Their Besançon, France project page also confirms that extra armrests serve a clear double purpose, without making the hostile intention too obvious:

The standard Skop bench design was modified to include special armrests that also acted as skate deterrents.³

Factory Furniture's designs for public spaces are mostly falling into the third category mentioned above, with Camden and Bromley being prime examples of public spaces designed to shape certain behaviours (for more examples the Part 2 of this series).

Others are not that frank when it comes to design intentions: Externalworks offers a bench with "extra armrests"⁴ and mmcite's "Park bench with armrest"⁵ make no mention of any extra purpose, despite the dubious functionality of their very low profile "armrests", likely assuming that those purchasing it will be aware of its additional purpose.

A rare well-documented process

I believe I have to applaud Factory Furniture for being so transparent and revealing the double function of certain design elements. Interactions between authorities and designers are rarely well-documented. Therefore I will risk quick detour to Canada:

In her thesis "An uncomfortable City" Jessica Annan⁶ describes the objectives of the "9 Block Program": To "improve safety" (perceived and real) and support the reduction of social disorder in the area. A document by the Calgary Police Service⁷ describes the perceived value of CPTED ("Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design", see Part 2 of this series for the historical background) as follows:

CPTED enhances safety by influencing the physical design of our environment and encouraging positive social interaction. CPTED recognizes that our environment directly affects our behaviour, whether or not we are aware of it, because we constantly respond to what is around us. These responses help us to interact safely in our communities.. (from a brochure by the Calgary Police, Annan⁶, page 52)

I find the acknowledgement of using subliminal messaging by design the most fascinating aspect of this document.

With this I will likely end this series but I have the intention to stay on the case of urban design. When I started the series more than 18 months ago I knew next to nothing about the topic. I still believe that hostile architecture needs to be considered in a broader context of urban planning and social control, especially how it attempts to shape behaviour with design.

I hope it has been informative to some, it certainly gave me many starting points for further research.

See also: A Hostile Architecture Tour Around London - Part 1 and A Hostile Architecture Tour Around London - Part 2

All Images are © 2023 Wolfgang Hauptfleisch CC-BY 2.0

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A Hostile Architecture Tour Around London - Part 3

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In my previous two instalments of this series I first rather randomly wandered around London to stumble over some examples of hostile architecture. In the second part I dug a bit deeper into the...

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“Why I Am Basically Hostile Towards Hostile Architecture”

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Awkward benches, aggressively-placed plant pots, unwritten rules, studs everywhere - this is the world of hostile architecture.

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Homeless this winter: on the frontline of rough sleeping

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Hostile architecture makes life even more difficult for homeless people. | ABC News

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KGX RED HATS Public London: the regulation, management and use of public spaces

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KGX RED HATS Public London: the regulation, management and use of public spaces

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centre_for_london_public_london_digital.pdf

Estate security “move on” drug users, rough sleepers and people begging, “on the advice of” the Metropolitan Police Service and local authority, and direct them towards local overnight hostels.

Some users found the presence of security staff intimidating: “There are security guards everywhere, I feel safe and unsafe at the same time. It feels like I’ve done something wrong.” User in Granary Square Public

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HOSTILE ARCHITECTURE EFFECTS/SAFETY Crisis uncovers dehumanising effects of defensive architecture

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HOSTILE ARCHITECTURE EFFECTS/SAFETY Crisis uncovers dehumanising effects of defensive architecture

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In new research conducted by Crisis over 450 people were surveyed in homelessness services across England and Wales, with six in ten reporting an increase over the last year in defensive architecture.

Over the same period, 35% reported they were unable to find anywhere to sleep or rest as a result.

A further 63% had witnessed an increase in wardens and security guards in public spaces.

21% reported 'wetting down' - having makeshift sleeping areas washed down while they were still in them.

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Homeless people are increasingly being forced out of public spaces by hostile measures such as spikes, curved or segregated benches and deliberate noise pollution.

In new research conducted by Crisis over 450 people were surveyed in homelessness services across England and Wales, with six in ten reporting an increase over the last year in defensive architecture - such as anti-homeless spikes, curved or segregated benches and gated doorways - that makes sitting or lying down impossible. Over the same period, 35% reported they were unable to find anywhere to sleep or rest as a result.

When they did find a place to rest, a fifth (20%) of those surveyed reported suffering from deliberate noise pollution such as loud music or recorded bird song and traffic sounds, making it hard or impossible to sleep.

A further 63% had witnessed an increase in wardens and security guards in public spaces. Some respondents reported being regularly moved on in the middle of the night, while 21% reported 'wetting down' - having makeshift sleeping areas washed down while they were still in them.

With temperatures plummeting and rough sleeping continuing to rise across the country, Crisis is calling on those designing homeless people out of public spaces to instead work with local services to help homeless people access the help they need.

Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis, said:

"The rise of anti-homeless spikes, noise pollution and other hostile measures is a sad indictment of how we treat the most vulnerable people in our society. Rough sleeping is devastating enough without homeless people having to endure such hostility from their surroundings.

"We can all be guilty of adopting an out of sight, out of mind attitude when it comes to homelessness. Instead we need to acknowledge that it is rising and that we need to work together to end it. Councils, developers, businesses and other proponents of hostile architecture need to think again about the obvious harm these insidious measures are causing. People who are forced to sleep rough need access to the appropriate help, not to be regarded as a problem to be swept under the carpet.

"Helping people to stay off the streets and rebuild their lives is about basic social justice - it's the right thing to do. That's why the Homelessness Reduction Bill, which is currently making its way through parliament, is so urgently needed. If passed, this crucial bill will help prevent people from becoming homeless, instead of being forced to live on the ever-more hostile streets."

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Crisis uncovers dehumanising effects of defensive architecture

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Homeless people are increasingly being forced out of public spaces by hostile measures such as spikes, curved benches, and deliberate noise pollution.

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SAFETY New research reveals the scale of violence against rough sleepers

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SAFETY New research reveals the scale of violence against rough sleepers

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People sleeping on the street are almost 17 times more likely to have been victims of violence and 15 times more likely to have suffered verbal abuse in the past year compared to the general public.

More than 1 in 3 have been deliberately hit or kicked or experienced some other form of violence whilst homeless (35%)

More than 1 in 3 have had things thrown at them whilst homeless (34%)

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New research reveals the scale of violence against rough sleepers

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Read all the latest Crisis news stories about homelessness and about us as a charity.

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In December 2024 research from Shelter suggested that one in 47 people in London are homeless.

Cases of of homelessness in London rose by 54% between 2013 and 2023.

Figures from the Chartered Institute of Housing in 2023 showed that almost eight times more people lived in temporary accommodation in London compared to the wider country.

The number of households living in temporary accommodation in the UK has reached its highest level since 2005, with a total of 123,100 households living in temporary accommodation in June 2024, Facts about homelessness in Londona record-high and 16.3% higher than a year ago.

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Facts and figures about homelessness in London are always changing. But, we have pulled together some of the key things you should know:
- According Combined Homelessness and Information Network research, the number of people sleeping rough in London from March 2023 to April 2024 was 19% higher than it was in the year before.

- In December 2024 research from Shelter suggested that one in 47 people in London are homeless.

- Cases of of homelessness in London rose by 54% between 2013 and 2023.

- Figures from the Chartered Institute of Housing in 2023 showed that almost eight times more people lived in temporary accommodation in London compared to the wider country.

- The number of households living in temporary accommodation in the UK has reached its highest level since 2005, with more than 100,000 households affected across England. Almost 60% of these households are in London, including 75,580 children.

- So far in 2024, 55% of people rough sleeping in London have come from outside of the UK.

- In addition to official counts, many more people are 'hidden homeless'. They may be sofa surfing, living in squats or unsecured accommodation, and don't show up in official statistics. This is an under-researched area - in 2017 a London Assembly report estimated that the number of hidden homeless people could be up to 13 times higher than official figures.

Some facts about our work to end homelessness:

We helped 185 people find and move into their own independent homes between April 2023 and March 2024.

Last year, 86% of people in our services who wanted to reconnect with estranged family and friends succeeded in doing so.

We operate across five London boroughs including Croydon, where we are the largest provider of supported housing.

You can read more about us, and our work, here.

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How many homeless people are there in London? Are these figures rising or falling? Facts about homelessness in London and how you can help.

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“For lots of people it feels like the system is set up for you to fail. In a perfect world, someone with power will see this and realise that something needs to be done.”

“I told them I was nervous because when you are in supported housing you get housing benefit, and you lose that when you get a full-time job. The second you go full-time your benefits get cut off, and you can end up in arrears."

"A big problem is how employment and benefits work together. If you make the effort to get a job, you will quickly lose your housing support."

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Regulation Management & Use of Public Spaces: Granary Square Case Study

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“The site's landlords have offices overlooking the square and for that reason are "more hands on" than some, but their default position is to "take a low-key approach to management"' Estate security "move on" drug users, rough sleepers and people begging, "on the advice of" the Metropolitan Police Service and local authority, and direct them towards local overnight hostels. The focus is on "engagement" and "respect". Officers are also trained to engage with vulnerable children, some of whom first arrive at King's Cross when they come to London.” (Centre for London, Mayor of London) pg.49

https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/centre_for_london_public_london_digital.pdf

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AS A RESULT OF BEING MOVED OUT OF AN AREA/SAFETY Sleeping Rough

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AS A RESULT OF BEING MOVED OUT OF AN AREA/SAFETY Sleeping Rough

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Rough sleepers are incredibly vulnerable. Of those who died while sleeping rough in London last year, the average age of death for men was 46, and just 42 for women.

Despite a reduction in the last year, the number of people sleeping rough in London is more than four times what it was in 2005.

Nearly 12,000 people were seen rough sleeping by outreach workers in London between April 2023 and March 2024.

Nearly two thirds of these people were sleeping rough for the first time. 1,318 people were found sleeping rough on a single night.

Six in ten rough sleepers surveyed said they had been insulted by a member of the public, and one in ten said that they had been urinated on.

Homeless people are 17 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime than the general public, and 47 times more likely to be a victim of theft.

More than one in three have been deliberately been hit, kicked, or experienced some other form of violence while sleeping rough.

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Sleeping rough on the streets of London is dangerous and isolating

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HOUSING The top reasons for homelessness in London 

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HOUSING The top reasons for homelessness in London 

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Our analysis shows that one person in our capital city is forced into homelessness every 8.5 minutes.

The city must build 43,000 affordable homes each year for current and future Londoners, but in 2023-24, only 10,949 homes were completed, a 22% decrease from 2022-23.

This shortage led to 323,827 households on London’s social housing waiting lists in 2023.

Studies show that where rent is over 32% of the average income, homelessness rises. In London, the average person spends half their cash on rent. No wonder so many are struggling to get by.

And then there’s always the risk of eviction, even if you have done nothing wrong…

Imagine being forced to leave your home for no reason. This is a Section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction, a power that landlords have.

No-fault evictions rose by 52% in London from September 2023 to 2024.

Since 2019, 84,650 households have sought homelessness support after receiving a Section 21 notice.

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“This week’s report from Crisis and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the 2017 Homelessness Monitor: England, threw this into sharp relief. So-called “out-of-area placements”, where homeless people and families are housed in other boroughs and sometimes halfway across the country, account for 28% of all homelessness placements, up from 11% since 2010. The number of families in bed and breakfast accommodation has risen by 250% since 2009; and nearly 58,000 people were accepted as homeless by their council in 2015/16 – 18,000 higher than 2009/10.”

https://www.theguardian.com/housing-network/2017/mar/24/gentrification-kings-cross-forces-people-from-housing-crisis

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Poor Regeneration Social Housing Quotas in Kings Cross

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Poor Regeneration Social Housing Quotas in Kings Cross

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The consortium behind the £2bn scheme agreed to include social housing as a condition of planning permission for the complex. But in shocking contrast to usual social housing allocation, which gives priority to those in greatest need, large chunks of the population are excluded. In addition, a quota system ensures no more than 20% of Kings Cross Central’s social housing residents are emerging from homeless, no more than 23% are children, and no more than 25% are unemployed. Housing Justice CEO Alison Gelder calls the quotas ‘a crude exercise in social engineering.’

https://wavelength.org.uk/one-of-britains-biggest-inner-city-developments-excludes-mentally-ill/

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One of Britain’s Biggest Inner-City Developments Excludes Mentally Ill – WaveLength

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The Independent newspaper has revealed Freedom of Information request results which showing the stringent restrictions on the type of social housing tenants catered for by one of Europe’s biggest inner-city regeneration projects, Kings Cross Central. People with a history of either mental illness, drug or alcohol problems, or rent-related debt are ineligible for the 500 social housing units being built alongside 900 luxury units, the UK headquarters of Google and BNP Paribas, and a massive retail complex.