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Designing for conflict
Cities often are a hotspot for civic unrest, with protests and conflicts taking over the streets. I think it's essential to create civic spaces where this can safely occur. Architecture plays a crucial role in designing these civic spaces, which can provide a safe environment for people to gather, communicate, and engage in peaceful protest. When we have designated areas for these activities, it reduces the risk of clashes with law enforcement and other groups. By prioritizing the design of large civic spaces, city planners and architects can ensure that public safety is maintained while still allowing people to exercise their democratic rights. Conflict in cities is not preventable, but as designers, we have the ability to dictate the space and circumstances of these events.
Even if we design spaces for public gatherings, who is to say that protestors and organizers gather outside of buildings meaningful to their cause, such as anti-abortion activists outside of Planned Parenthood clinics or protesters of local businesses? Politics are inevitable in public, but does that mean that we should plan for political events in every public project?
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