Defensive Architecture

For this assignment, based on chapter ten of Nomadland, students were asked to learn about defensive or hostile architecture and the ways in which it is used to marginalize, punish, threaten, and exclude the most vulnerable members of our community. Through the use of zoning laws, patrolling of those in need of housing, and creatively designed community elements where people exist such as parks, benches, entryways, and stairs, those without homes are the most targeted subsection of our neighbors in our cities and towns - and often, even the most creative solutions such as living in self-sustaining and eco-friendly RVs are seen as a threat to the image of the makeup of where we live.

Students wrote a speech, recorded their performance of it, and created a slideshow using images from our community and Dismal Garden's extensive collection of photos depicting punishing defensive architecture installations worldwide.