Remembering Resistance : An analysis of urban design features at sites of protest

Boyko, Christopher and Sirajuddin, Akm (2021) Remembering Resistance : An analysis of urban design features at sites of protest. In: UK-Ireland Planning Research Conference, 2021-09-08 - 2021-09-10, Newcastle University/online.

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Abstract

Protest sites offer people a physical space to express dissatisfaction toward dominant forms of power. The design of these often urban public spaces provide affordances that allow activists to practice and perform protest strategies, tactics and repertoires; however, not much is known about the urban design features associated with protest sites, nor what we might infer from the choices activists make in relation to protest sites. Examining these issues, the Remembering Resistance project gathered data from 100 protest events in the North of England from 2000-2019. Through a quantitative analysis, we found that strong building characteristics that respond to a sense of place alongside spatial legibility, ease of movement, and a sense of continuity and enclosure, were the urban design features most associated with protest sites. These findings are discussed in light of practical implications for urban designers and planners, interested in creating urban spaces for demonstration.