Enemy benches: How Thuringia's cities exclude homeless people

Enemy benches: How Thuringia's cities exclude homeless people

In recent years, a trend has established itself in German cities that is permanently changing the design of public spaces: defensive architecture. This is increasingly being used to make it more difficult for certain groups of people to stay in certain places. A prime example of this are the park benches with metal spikes, which are becoming increasingly popular in Thuringia. Loud thueringen.de Frank Eckardt, professor of social science urban planning at the Bauhaus University Weimar, reports that such measures have been observed since the early 2000s.

In cities like Erfurt, Jena, Weimar, Suhl and Gera, elements of defensive architecture are often used, for example to prevent vandalism or to create almost unusable seating. In Eisenach, benches are equipped with armrests to prevent lying and sleeping. However, this design has far-reaching effects on the reality of life for many people. Homeless people are particularly affected by these measures, as their opportunities to rest in public spaces or collect deposit bottles are drastically reduced.

The background and reviews

The narrative surrounding defensive architecture describes a need for security that attempts to control social disorder through structural changes. This is flanked by the established concept of “defensible space”, which was originally coined in New York in the 1970s. Critics, as on the website defensearchitecture.org explained, see this as a neoliberal development that pushes out marginalized groups and promotes social inequalities.

The architecture is discussed in the same breath as terms such as hostile design, anti-homeless architecture and hostile architecture. The latter gets loud abes-online.com often perceived as a euphemistic description that undermines the inhumane nature of these measures. The use of such designs does not only refer to benches, but also extends to other details in urban spaces - from pointed fences to divided seating areas.

The need for inclusive planning

City authorities often assert that defensive architecture is not specifically planned for and instead emphasizes design aspects and durability. However, it is up for debate whether this is acceptable, since public spaces should be accessible to all citizens. Julia Neumeyer, a street worker from Erfurt, points out that many homeless people rely on busy areas and defensive measures make their situation even more difficult. Eckardt demands that the needs of all citizens should be taken into account in urban planning and city management in order to make public spaces truly accessible to everyone.

At a time when social justice and inclusion are becoming increasingly important, the architecture of these defensive measures is a critical focus. The question remains: How can cities create spaces that are both safe and welcoming without excluding certain populations? A challenge that still requires many answers.