Politics Protest and Place:

The Role of Inclusive Urbanism in Civic Activism


A man looks at protest signs near the White House / Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

The Challenge/Competition


Architects and urban designers are stewards of public space and it is our professional and civic responsibility to influence change—as well as our elected officials—toward a more equitable built environment for all. The competition calls designers to rethink their built environment to bolster voices of our communities, foster civic engagement, and promote change through design.

Competition Provocations

  • How can design interventions make activism more inclusive and safer for all?
  • How can unintended spaces be more welcoming to activism and civic engagement to more diverse groups?
  • How can urban spaces reframe community gathering spaces to highlight commonalities?
  • How can existing urban form be leveraged to promote participation for inclusive public protest?
  • How can these spaces participate in the act of protest spontaneously, temporarily, or permanently?

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