Protest Architecture: Structures of Civil Resistance

A complex bamboo pyramid to block a busy crossing in London. A maze of ‘mini Stonehenge’ brick structures to hinder government crackdowns in Hong Kong. The takeover of a Dallas highway to create a temporary public square.

Architects have often used their skills in struggles for civil rights, gender equality and climate justice. Illuminating the role that design has played in protest movements, Nick Newman explores the colliding worlds of architecture and activism through the stories of those who have built for change. Using historic and contemporary examples, Protest Architecture analyses the design problems and solutions faced by protestors on the streets through detailed drawings, photography and expert insight.

From beacons to barricades, towers to treehouses, this unique design typology demonstrates architectural influence over moments of societal change. This is a retelling of protest history through the eyes of an architect.