It leaves one breathless to remember how quickly [Oscar Newman's concept of] defensible space, originally a tactic for the further liberation of society’s disadvantaged, was “consumed,” or turned in on itself and reconstituted as a strategy to “control” space in global enclaves of privilege.

That’s John Kaliski, in his introduction to Steven Flusty’s Buidling Paranoia. It’s strikingly apropos to recent discussions (in class and outside of it) as to whether artifacts can meaningfully be said to have politics. More about this very soon.