Spatial Justice through Scarcity Thinking

An individual’s right to public space, the processes and partnerships that shape public spaces, and the politics of public space are all topics that remain at the forefront of conversation about architectural theory, but each of these issues hinge on the much larger debate regarding the ethical role and responsibilities of an architect.  What each of these topics on the role and creation of public space have in common is that they all are factors in promoting what Edward Soja refers to as “Spatial Justice.”  We have discussed democracy, equity, scarcity, and diversity as the architectural and urban operations that promote spatial justice, but I would argue that the implementation of democracy, equity, and diversity are all contingent on the architect’s ability to implement what Jeremy Till calls “scarcity thinking.” Democracy contributes to achieving spatial justice through the participatory design process; equity does so by ensuring one’s right and access to public space; and diversity implies the acceptance of a complex public identity. Till explains that,

“Scarcity thinking opens up new possibilities for redistributing what already exists. By redistributing I do not mean doing more with less, or even renovating things in the world; I am arguing for a different kind of activity in which the creativity of the designer is focused not on objects but on the processes that precede and follow the making of objects.” 

In order for democracy, equity, and diversity to take place in the design process, it is incumbent upon the architect to focus their creative expertise not simply on objects and the built environment, but rather, on the end users of the design and the design’s accessibility to a diverse population.  This approach is not about the architect taking a back seat throughout the design process, but rather embracing a mindset – scarcity thinking – that allows for the cultivation of spatial justice.  A scarcity of resources exists in communities around the globe, and the disparities in resource distribution will continue to be rampant in these communities until a designer is able to use their creative capacity and their design expertise to “[redistribute] what already exists.”

As such, before spatial justice can be achieved through the avenues of democracy, equity, and diversity, the mindset of the designer must be one of “scarcity thinking.” Until designers are willing to thinking beyond the physical manifestations of architecture, there is no foundation upon which to implement these other methods of achieving spatial justice.