Space is Politics: A Manifesto on Architecture makes the case, drawing on Hannah Arendt's political theory, that every architectural decision — who meets, who belongs, who is excluded — is a fundamentally democratic act.
About This Book
Architect and urban planner Hans Teerds argues that space is not a neutral container for political life but an active participant in shaping it. Public squares, parks, footpaths, and café terraces are not mere backdrops to democratic practice — they are democratic practice. The question of who designs them, who profits from them, and who is pushed out of them is inseparable from questions of justice and citizenship. Written as a manifesto, this compact but pointed book calls for public space to be reclaimed from investors and technical experts and returned to genuine political discourse. Essential reading for architects and urban planners willing to reckon with the social consequences of their work.
Key Features
- 112 pages of manifesto-form argument drawing on political philosophy and architectural theory
- Author: Hans Teerds; Design: Siyu Mao
- Published by Ruby Press, 2025
What You'll Discover
- Why Hannah Arendt's political theory reframes architecture as a social practice with direct democratic consequences
- How public spaces — squares, parks, sidewalks, café terraces — function as active sites of democratic participation, not passive settings
- The mechanisms by which architectural decisions create access for some and erect barriers for others
- A call to architects, urban planners, and citizens to treat space as a common good and reclaim it from private and expert interests
About the Author
Hans Teerds is an architect and urban planner whose work engages with the political and social dimensions of architectural practice. In Space is Politics, he brings together architectural thinking and political philosophy to argue for a more accountable understanding of how built environments shape public life.
Specifications
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 112
- Dimensions: 200 x 120 mm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9783944074597
- Publisher: Ruby Press
- Publication Date: 2025
Perfect For: Architects, urban planners, and students of political theory or urban design who want to interrogate the social responsibilities embedded in spatial practice.