30 Examples of Hostile Architecture That Quietly Shape How Cities Use Public Space

Urban spaces are designed to be shared, but not all use of those spaces is always planned or predictable. People gather, wait, rest, and sometimes linger longer than intended in streets, parks, and public walkways.

To manage this, cities often turn to a design approach known as hostile architecture, also called defensive design. It uses subtle built-in features to influence how people interact with public spaces.

You might have seen it without realizing it—benches with armrests in the middle, slanted ledges, or surfaces designed to discourage sitting or lying down. At first glance, it can look unusual or even unfriendly, but it serves a practical purpose in busy urban environments.

Below, we explore some common examples of hostile architecture found in cities. Scroll down and see how many you’ve noticed in your own surroundings.

#1 They can take my benches, but they can never take my bathrooms

#2 Back of the bus reduced the seats from 5 to 3 to include the slope dividers.

#3 Railings at Philadelphia’s City Hall look like something from bowser’s castle

#4 Lockable bench

#5 Turnstile to avoid people sneaking into public transport

#6 Even Cyberpunk 2077 hates the homeless.

#7 Benches in a Philadelphia Subway Station

#8 No, I really don’t think it is.

#9 Anti-lingering stools

#10 First floor restrooms of the Seattle Center. The remaining floors are all normal stalls.

#11 A “bench” at a bus stop. I tried “sitting” but it was really more like a half squat. Just poorly designed all around.

#12 Looks like no sleeping today in Durango, Colorado

#13 Quite a useful handrail!

#14 How dare you want to sit! (Manhattan, New York)

#15 Since this sub is mostly hostile benches…

#16 Installed by the landlord of apartment building

#17 Handrail designed to keep people from sliding down it, but causes you to smash your hand into bits of metal if you try to use it as, you know, a handrail.

#18 New addition in Texas…

#19 found one in the wild

#20 How about no benches at all?

#21 These new “benches” poping up in my neighborhood

#22 Park benches don’t need tiny useless tables that prevent a nap.

#23 They removed perfectly friendly benches (less than 2 years old) just to install these hostile leaners.

#24 Standpipe in Times Square.

#25 This spot used to be a homeless camp. Then they elevated the grates. Then bmx bikers showed up and started using the elevated grates as a ramp. Now they added the rails.