Repel or Repair: How Urban Design Plays a Part in Culture Wars

Dr. Ralf Brand and Dr. Sara Fregonese have studied how culturally ignorant design has intensified violence in areas of religious and ethnic division, while more sensitive plans have peacefully brought people from different backgrounds together.

1 minute read

June 14, 2012, 5:00 AM PDT

By Akemi Leung


In order to understand the impact of physical spaces on social conflicts, both negatively and positively, Brand and Fregonese, from the University of Manchester, have focused their research on cities with histories of religious or political violence: Belfast, Beirut, Berlin, and Amsterdam, writes Sarah Goodyear.

"What [Brand and Fregonese] documented, after hundreds of interviews and weeks of observation, is that urban design can raise tensions in cities where ethnic or religious conflicts are endemic. At the same time, design that is sensitive to local concerns and conditions can have a healing effect."

Brand cites a pedestrian bridge built between Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods in Belfast that was designed in "complete ignorance of the local situation," and became "a flashpoint for sectarian violence," as an example of negligent urban design. On the other hand, he finds that a mall in Beirut that was designed with extensive Christian and Muslim input is an example of how, "when planners and citizens work together, good urban design can help depolarize communities and even potentially prevent radicalization."

Thanks to Akemi Leung

Tuesday, June 12, 2012 in The Atlantic Cities

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

July 2 - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

July 2 - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

July 2 - CNU Public Square