Defensible Space

Introduction

Defensible space was a concept originally explored by Oscar Newman in the 1970s.

Defensible Space is an architectural principle of design where the intent of the house layout and exterior land is to allow residents to control the areas around their homes.

• This goes beyond the home design itself and includes streets, and grounds outside of their buildings and the lobbies and corridors within them.

The main idea here is that it essentially puts the safety of the space and community more on the individuals and community members, rather than on government intervention— therefore it is not vulnerable to government's withdrawal of support.

Study Findings:

• A family’s claim to a territory diminishes proportionally as the number of families share that claim increases
• The larger the number of people who share a communal space, the more difficult it is to find people who identify it as ‘theirs’ or that feel they have a right to determine the activity taking place within it.

The thesis is that designing a space that allows residents a sense of ownership and control leads to an environment that people care about and will work to maintain and protect.

• Essentially you also get a situation where neighbors are more likely to look out for another space when they can associate the ownership of that space to another neighbor. “Neighbors looking out for one another”

Modification of existing space can be done by