Unpleasant Design – Objects
unpleasant.pravi.me
unpleasant.pravi.me
[1] http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/episode-51-the-arsenal...
[2] http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/episode-71-in-and-out-...
[3] http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/episode-09-99-private/
At some point the space under those benches with too many arm-rests will look like a pretty good place to sleep given the alternatives. So the next step will be some extra legs to prohibit sleeping under a bench. Then sleeping behind a bench will look pretty good given the alternatives, so benches will have to be located next to walls. It could do on until there is no such thing as street furniture and nobody dare put street furniture up just out of fear that it will attract homeless people. Our outdoor environment will then be entirely privatised, where, if you need a seat, you pay.
Shelters clearly do not suit homeless people most of the time, maybe we need to think about using some normal benches in a 'honeypot' configuration, so the homeless community know there is somewhere that they can sleep rough without being abused and kept up all night.
[1] http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jun/08/metal-spikes-...
In most of the other examples you can rationalise the control aspect "oh, it's to prevent stupid people injuring themselves" or "it doesn't stop law abiding people from..."
In the topical spikes example there is no such rationalisation that we can do and this is why there is such outrage. Because it hurts psychologically, because we cannot pretend it's not there. The outrage is not really about homelessness - it's about our shame.