{"id":1223,"date":"2024-02-20T17:47:17","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T16:47:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/?p=1223"},"modified":"2026-01-20T16:44:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T15:44:27","slug":"public-space-paranoia-in-amsterdam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/2024\/02\/20\/public-space-paranoia-in-amsterdam\/","title":{"rendered":"Woonerf Herengracht: Public Space Paranoia in Amsterdam"},"content":{"rendered":"

SCROLL DOWN FOR ENGLISH<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vijandige architectuur kent vele verschijningsvormen en dito benamingen: onsympathiek ontwerp, defensive urbanism, unpleasant design, <\/em>etc. Welke benaming het beste de lading dekt hangt af van de situatie waar zulke ontwerpstrategie\u00ebn worden ingezet. Als er ergens sprake is van overlast voor omwonenden, door rondhangen, slapen of plassen in een portiek, kun je \u2018ad hoc\u2019 ingrijpen. Dit dient het wooncomfort en dus het individuele belang van burgers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Het is echter fundamenteel anders om op voorhand, \u2018a priori\u2019, de stedelijke openbare ruimte zo in te richten om te voorkomen dat er mogelijk overlast zou kunnen ontstaan. Gemeenten hebben daarbij de essenti\u00eble taak individuele versus collectieve belangen af te wegen. In een inclusieve stad voor iedereen mag de publieke zaak het niet systematisch afleggen tegen particuliere zorgen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enerzijds is de gemeente verantwoordelijk voor een schone en sociaal veilige stad. Anderzijds dient zij er ook voor te zorgen dat de stad gastvrij en toegankelijk is en blijft voor iedereen. Voor ouderen en jongeren, mensen zonder en met een beperking, en stedelijke verschoppelingen zoals daklozen. Want waarom zouden zij minder recht op de stad hebben dan gewone burgers? En dat is precies het dilemma waar gemeenten en andere instanties mee worstelen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aanleiding voor deze beschouwing is de recente publieke aandacht voor het onderwerp. Gemeenten zoals Leiden en Utrecht hebben vijandige architectuur in de ban gedaan en er verschijnen kritische artikelen in de media zoals recent in de Volkskrant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Link naar artikel Volkskrant<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ontwerpwetenschapper Jasper van Kuijk reageerde in dezelfde krant op het artikel waarin hij zich afvraagt of al die kritiek wel het gewenste effect heeft. Volgens hem wordt er te gemakkelijk ‘vijandige architectuur!’ geroepen. En daar schuilt een gevaar in want gemeenten zouden weleens bang kunnen worden om beschuldigd te worden van het toepassen ervan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zijn advies aan gemeenten luidt: doe dan maar helemaal niets in je openbare ruimte. Geen bankjes, nissen of hoekjes. Dan doet overlast zich niet voor en hoef je niet bang te zijn dat je beschuldigd wordt van het faciliteren van vijandige architectuur. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dit \u2018advies\u2019 bleek ironisch bedoeld te zijn, maar toch; gemeenten oproepen om het principe van stedelijke gastvrijheid aan hun laars te lappen riep bij mij irritatie op. Want in Amsterdam is \u2018niets doen\u2019 al staande praktijk. Bij de recente herinrichting van een gedeelte van de Herengracht was het de bedoeling om aan de waterkant zitbankjes te plaatsen als onderdeel van een wandelpromenade langs de gracht. In het voortraject maakten omwonenden echter bezwaar tegen de bankjes want: hangjeugd, blowende toeristen of andere mogelijke overlast. Teleurstellend genoeg ging de gemeente mee in deze public space paranoia<\/em>: exit bankjes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
De voorgestelde inrichting van de Herengracht, met bankjes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Het resultaat, zonder bankjes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ja, gemeenten zijn bang, niet zozeer om beschuldigd te worden van het toepassen van vijandige architectuur, maar voor mondige burgers die op voorhand bang zijn voor mogelijke overlast voor hun deur. Niet NIMBY<\/em> maar NIMFY<\/em>, oftewel Not In My Front Yard<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terwijl, zulke plekken zijn essentieel voor de stad in het algemeen. Het bankje als sociale condensator, een ruimtelijk rustpunt in de stad waar iedereen, ongeacht rang of stand, op kan plaatsnemen, zonder consumptieverplichting. Een plek om even afstand te nemen van het stedelijk gewoel en waar spontane ontmoetingen kunnen plaatsvinden, met de spreekwoordelijke \u2018ander\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ironisch bedoeld of niet, het is te hopen dat andere gemeenten het advies van Jasper niet ter harte gaan nemen. Want een stad zonder bankjes, nissen of hoekjes is een onherbergzame stad, niet alleen voor daklozen en andere stedelijke verschoppelingen, maar voor iedereen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deze column is ook gepubliceerd op het platform voor kennisuitwisseling en debat in de ruimtelijke ordening Rooilijn. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public Space Paranoia in Amsterdam<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Hostile architecture takes many forms, and goes by different names: defensive urbanism, unpleasant design, unsympathetic design, etc. Which name is most fitting depends on the context in which these defensieve urban design strategies are deployed. If nuisance occur in places where it inconveniences local residents\u2014consider loitering, sleeping, or worse, urinating in urban nooks and niches near housing complexes\u2014an ad-hoc intervention might be in place. This serves residential comfort and, thus, the individual interests of city dwellers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it is fundamentally different when urban public spaces are designed defensively upfront, to prevent possible nuisance in the future. In that case, municipalities have the essential task of weighing individual versus collective interests. In an open and inclusive city, the interest of one particular group cannot outweigh the public interest of all other citizens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, municipalities are accountable for their urban spaces to be neat, clean, and socially safe. But then again, they are also responsible for being welcoming and accessible to all users, regardless of age, race, abilities, or gender, including urban outcasts such as homeless people. After all, why should they have less right to the city than ordinary “normal” people? And that is precisely the dilemma municipalities and other institutions are wrestling with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason for this reflection is the recent public focus on hostile architecture. The Dutch cities of Leiden and Utrecht have renounced the use of it, and several articles have appeared in the media, criticising municipalities and institutions for deploying hostile architecture in their public spaces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, design scholar Jasper van Kuijk wrote a column in the leading Dutch newspaper de Volkskant in response to an article on hostile architecture in the same newspaper (featuring yours truly). He questioned whether all this criticism had the desired effect and stated that the label ‘hostile architecture’ was too quickly used. He also said that municipalities may be afraid of being accused of applying defensive urban design strategies in their public spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His advice to municipalities was: do nothing in your public spaces\u2014no benches, nooks, or niches. Thus, nuisances won’t occur, and you won’t have to fear being accused of facilitating hostile architecture. This ‘advice’ was meant ironically, but calling on municipalities to flout the principle of urban hospitality stirred some irritation in me. Because in Amsterdam, ‘doing nothing’ is already a standing practice. The plans for renovating a section of the Herengracht\u2014a canal in the world-famous historical centre\u2014included placing benches on the waterfront as part of a promenade along the canal. However, in the obliged participation process before execution, local residents objected to the benches because they feared loitering, blowing tourists, or other possible nuisances. Disappointingly, the municipality went along with this public space paranoia: exit benches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, municipalities are afraid, not so much of being accused of applying hostile architecture, but of articulate citizens who fear upfront possible nuisance on their doorstep. Not NIMBY but NIMFY, Not In My Front Yard. Public space paranoia in its purest form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public benches are essential for the city in general. The bench functions as a social condenser, a spatial resting point in the urban realm where everyone, regardless of rank, position, or gender, can rest without obligation to consume. It is a place to take a break from the urban hustle and bustle, where spontaneous encounters can occur with the proverbial stranger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hopefully, other Dutch cities will not take Jasper’s advice to heart, as municipalities should be the guardians of urban hospitality. For a city without benches, nooks, or niches is a barren city, not just for the homeless and other urban outcasts but for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCROLL DOWN FOR ENGLISH Vijandige architectuur kent vele verschijningsvormen en dito benamingen: onsympathiek ontwerp, defensive urbanism, unpleasant design, etc. Welke benaming het beste de lading dekt hangt af van de situatie waar zulke ontwerpstrategie\u00ebn worden ingezet. Als er ergens sprake is van overlast voor omwonenden, door rondhangen, slapen of plassen in een portiek, kun je […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1231,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[75,18,66],"tags":[35,50,31,40,65,85],"class_list":["post-1223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hostile-architecture","category-public-infrastructure","category-urban-hospitality","tag-defensive-urbanism","tag-hostile-architecture","tag-public-infrastructure","tag-publicness","tag-urban-hospitality","tag-vijandige-architectuur"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/IMG_5146-scaled.jpeg?fit=2560%2C1919&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1499,"url":"https:\/\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/2026\/01\/20\/stedelijke-ongastvrijheid-in-rotterdam\/","url_meta":{"origin":1223,"position":0},"title":"Stedelijke ongastvrijheid in Rotterdam","author":"Floorvand","date":"20 January 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2025 debuteerde ik als publicist voor Vers Beton, h\u00e9t online platform voor onafhankelijke Rotterdamse journalistiek. Na mijn essay over Dorpsplein Marconi volgde een column over de Westersingel - de 19-eeuwse waterloop in het verlengde van de Rode Loper vanaf het Centraal Station (voor de niet-Rotterdammers: op het Kruisplein niet\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hostile Architecture"","block_context":{"text":"Hostile Architecture","link":"https:\/\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/category\/hostile-architecture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0274-scaled-e1768911196264.png?fit=1052%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0274-scaled-e1768911196264.png?fit=1052%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0274-scaled-e1768911196264.png?fit=1052%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0274-scaled-e1768911196264.png?fit=1052%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0274-scaled-e1768911196264.png?fit=1052%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1349,"url":"https:\/\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/2024\/10\/08\/strippin-rotterdam\/","url_meta":{"origin":1223,"position":1},"title":"Strippin’ Rotterdam","author":"Floorvand","date":"8 October 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"This summer, I was approached by de Strip architects from Brussels if I was interested in a collaboration. I have been following them for a while, and we have a lot in common. So, of course, I said yes!Together, we explored the urban spaces of Rotterdam. We also had a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hostile Architecture"","block_context":{"text":"Hostile Architecture","link":"https:\/\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/category\/hostile-architecture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/Q8_DzoKTn1g\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":609,"url":"https:\/\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/2021\/08\/25\/hostile-hospitality-in-bruges\/","url_meta":{"origin":1223,"position":2},"title":"Hostile Hospitality in Bruges","author":"Floorvand","date":"25 August 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Of all the creative disciplines involved in public space \u2013 industrial design, (landscape)architecture, urbanism \u2013 the arts hold a special position. 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Stone strips are glued onto the pavement of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hostile Architecture"","block_context":{"text":"Hostile Architecture","link":"https:\/\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/category\/hostile-architecture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/IMG_8746-scaled.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/IMG_8746-scaled.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/IMG_8746-scaled.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/IMG_8746-scaled.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":456,"url":"https:\/\/publicspacedetective.com\/cms\/2021\/03\/03\/ad-hoc-defensive-urbanism-or-public-space-paranoia\/","url_meta":{"origin":1223,"position":5},"title":"Ad-hoc Defensive Urbanism or Public Space Paranoia","author":"Floorvand","date":"3 March 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Over a year ago, the Corona-crisis broke and led to worldwide lockdowns that restricted acces to public space on the grounds of preventing viral spread. 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