Cities are complex characters in this new age of global security. As places of progressive thinking, implementers of policies that are constantly reforming to serve human rights, and safe havens for all different walks of life, they are often seen as the center points of a safe, sustainable future. However, cities have also been forced into playing a decidedly different role over the past decade: as the locus for acts of terror. Cities around the world have fallen victim to terrorist attacks at an alarming frequency that only seems to be rising, the most recent attack just today with another attack in London. And as cities and states have buckled down on anti-terror measures, terrorists- from home-grown to large networks- are fine-tuning their violence, and incorporating aspects of urban life to do so. One tactic that has proven to be particularly devastating is vehicular terrorism; just this year, it has been used in Jerusalem, Stockholm, Paris, Charlottesville, Barcelona, and three separate times in London, altogether killing scores and injuring hundreds. Many cities have responded to these incidents by installing concrete barriers on the edge of pedestrian spaces, but others, like Florence in Italy, have decided to go for a greener approach. While originally planning to install concrete barriers, Italian architect Stefano Boeri convinced the city of Florence to use large flowerpots instead. These green barriers have already popped up in other areas of Italy, and their ingenuity has the potential to gain traction in other European cities.

What We See

After successfully convincing the mayor of Florence to go with his design, Boeri said, "the safety of these places is urgent and appropriate, but we cannot allow safety to transform thousands of squares and public spaces in Europe to become sites of barriers and concrete blocks, as if they were military checkpoints." This opinion articulates the dilemma that many cities have grappled with for years; as The Week refers to it, "balancing security and civility". It's not just the concrete barriers, and it's not just for terrorism; adding CCTV, marshalling added security figures from guards to regular soldiers, and roping off areas in urban centers are all tactics with the goal of improving security as well as improving safety by reducing general urban crime. But while the security benefits can be great, they take away from public spaces- staples of city living- and exploit fears and anxiety about insecurity, which, according to The Week, tend to further increase the perception that more security measures are needed, and thus more get put into place. The cities of Europe in particular are caught up in this vicious cycle more than ever. Aesthetically pleasing and proud of it, they have often been forced to overshadow the alluring effects of their cobblestone streets and centuries-old architecture with sandbags and concrete.

But Boeri's solution combines beauty with security so as not to hinder, but enhance public spaces. It's also a good example of compromise between what urban planners want: beautiful public spaces, accessible cities, and environmentally friendly infrastructure; and what the cities of today need: advanced and preventative security measures. The flowerpots might become tourist attractions themselves. They also fit neatly into the environmentally-minded urban policies of today, as opposed to the alternatives, which only add cement to concrete-heavy cities. The flowerpots join the urban gardens, farms and forests that are an increasing phenomenon in cities around the world, improving the urban ecosystems. But most importantly, they are a response to terrorism that- while resulting from fear- recognize the right that all citizens have to utilize and enjoy public space, and show the true range and ingenuity of urban resilience, and the beauty that can come with it. IHC Global is looking forward to seeing what other avant-garde approaches to security follow suit as cities around the world chart their paths to becoming more inclusive, sustainable, resilient and safe in support of SDG 11.

Read more  here and here.