Hostile Architecture's Medieval Roots: From Oubliettes to Sidewalk Spikes

An article from TheCollector explores the concept of hostile architecture—elements such as armrests on park benches and spikes on sidewalks—tracing its roots to ancient and medieval times. It highlights the Colosseum in Ancient Rome, which enforced social stratification, alongside Roman jostle-stones that altered the path of cart wheels. The piece also discusses medieval oubliettes, derived from the French term 'oublier,' and notes the walled Jewish ghettos in 15th-century Spain, leading to the Edict of 1492. Additionally, it mentions the mid-19th-century urban redesign in Paris aimed at suppressing uprisings and references Robert Caro's 1974 work 'The Power Broker,' which argues that low overpasses in New York City were designed to exclude the less affluent. The article critiques modern hostile architecture and corporate jargon as contemporary forms of exclusion, reminiscent of ancient class divides.