Inclusive Park Design for All: Restoring Unhoused Individuals’ Rights to the Public Realm

In parks across the world, hostile public space design ostracizes people experiencing homelessness. Hostile design not only excludes unhoused people from public spaces, but it also makes these environments more exclusive and less accessible for all. In contrast, intentional and inclusive design strategies can combat defensive architecture and build parks that are more equitable and inclusive. Planners and designers can restore unhoused individuals’ spatial rights to public parks by including them in the engagement and planning process, through programming parks with their needs in mind, and by designing park facilities to support this population.

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