bg bg

News

News
Edna Pezard Ramirez: Confronting Insecurity in Our Public Spaces
Edna Pezard Ramirez: Confronting Insecurity in Our Public Spaces

Last week, we spoke to Edna about her PhD thesis, City of Fear, where she analyses the link between feelings of insecurity, daily practices, and public spaces in a context of chronic violence.
News
Six Great Design Solutions from Architects
Six Great Design Solutions from Architects

Balancing design and effective protection can often be difficult for landscape architects, security officials, and urban designers. Yet, in recent years, there has been an increase in innovative design solutions to security concerns in cities all over the world.
News
Five Ways to Protect Your Store Front
Five Ways to Protect Your Store Front

The use of glass has been shown to cause issues for shops that exhibit expensive goods in their displays. Glass is traditionally the most vulnerable point of a building’s exterior, and therefore, windows, doors, and glass fronts are highly attractive to thieves. Yet, there are a number of security measures that can offer a solution to business owners who want to reduce the likelihood of crime occurring against their shopfronts. Below are four solutions we recommend. 
News
Protect Duty Bill Mentioned in the Queen’s Speech: What it Means for the UK
Protect Duty Bill Mentioned in the Queen’s Speech: What it Means for the UK

On May 10th, 2022, the Protect Duty bill was mentioned in the Queen’s speech, which set out the Government plans for next year, moving the bill ahead another step in the legislative process.
News
An Interview with Jørgen Becker-Christensen: Holistic Security Design
An Interview with Jørgen Becker-Christensen: Holistic Security Design

“I look at it as an onion – you can have layers of security, where you have an outer layer that is clearly defined. You have to find the balance between putting in security as well as making it accessible for day-to-day activities. If you can make a clear outer protection, then you can work to integrate a Nordic-inspired model."
News
What is Integrated Security?
What is Integrated Security?

It is important that our surroundings remain open and inclusive, and that the addition of physical security measures is integrated and proportionate to the assessed threat. Put simply, integrated security is when the application of HVM measures is holistic, ensuring that the level of protection is appropriate and does not compromise the aesthetics and functionality of our cityscapes (in some cases, HVM can add to these attributes).  
News
How HVM Barriers Are Tested: A Quick Guide to the IWA-14 Rating
How HVM Barriers Are Tested: A Quick Guide to the IWA-14 Rating

All HVM barriers must be crash-tested. This means that they need to undergo testing to ensure they meet specific standards for withstanding a moving vehicle.
News
What the Nordics Can Teach us About Anti-Terror
What the Nordics Can Teach us About Anti-Terror

Although Scandinavian cities do not often face the threat of terror, and are therefore not built with that in mind, the Nordics have mastered integrated design that is both beautiful and functional. Put simply, Nordic design is world-renowned for its simplicity and elegance.
News
A Conversation with Deborah Ainscough: Why Good Installation Matters
A Conversation with Deborah Ainscough: Why Good Installation Matters

“Any installation of HVM aesthetics is really important, it has to look right. It shouldn’t look hostile, and it shouldn’t make people feel caged in. For pedestrianisation schemes or protection of open spaces, it’s important that it’s accessible, adaptable, and flexible, and that it also looks aesthetically pleasing."
News
Counter-Terror in Scandinavia
Counter-Terror in Scandinavia

"Security and safety is new but I think we are also getting to a point where it’s more natural to work with. It’s not just something we add on after we’ve designed a square, it’s something that has been considered early on."
News
Creating Safe Cities with SLA
Creating Safe Cities with SLA

Internationally renowned for being a nature-based design studio made up of 130 landscape architects, biologists, anthropologists, and city planners, SLA designs cities on all scales – from masterplans that stretch across cities to neighbourhood pocket parks. SLA’s distinctly interdisciplinary approach combining deep anthropological knowledge with award-winning design has informed some of Scandinavia’s biggest security projects.  
News
Do Bollards Prevent Hostile Vehicle Attacks?
Do Bollards Prevent Hostile Vehicle Attacks?

With terrorism continuing to present a substantial threat in Europe and the UK, keeping citizens and cities secure is critical. Unfortunately, hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM), planned bollards for example, do not always protect people from vehicles used as weapons (VAW).
News
Top 5 Problems with Traditional Bollards
Top 5 Problems with Traditional Bollards

Bollards have become an important feature of our cities. And when it comes to city planning, many landscape architects and urban planners strategically use bollards around cities as hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) - a measure designed to stop terrorists from using vehicles as weapons (VAW).  
News
How Can Counter-Terrorist Measures Promote Biodiversity in our Cities?
How Can Counter-Terrorist Measures Promote Biodiversity in our Cities?

When it comes to the hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) industry, there seems to be a gap in the market when it comes to design-led solutions that promote biodiversity in our cities.
News
What Should Event Organisers Expect from the Protect Duty?
What Should Event Organisers Expect from the Protect Duty?

In 2021, The Protect Duty was unveiled by Home Secretary Priti Patel, and is expected to bring significant changes to the events industry, as well as the way venues and event organisers go about their work. Put simply, the Protect Duty is a new legal requirement aimed at venue owners and event organisers, that ensures they will keep people safe from terrorist attacks.
News
Traditional HVM vs. Alternative Security Measures: Which Measures Are Worth Installing?
Traditional HVM vs. Alternative Security Measures: Which Measures Are Worth Installing?

It is glaringly obvious that HVM measures need to be a part of our city plans in 2022, but it is still unclear to many how to tackle this issue. Traditional HVM measures have seen great pushback from landscape architects and urban designers alike. So, are there better, more effective, measures that we can invest in?
News
What is the Best Type of Bollard for Your City?
What is the Best Type of Bollard for Your City?

With the market for bollards growing exponentially over the past decade and with more varieties than ever, it can often be helpful to simplify the decision-making process. The first step to finding the correct bollard is questioning what kind of service you want the bollards to provide for your city.
News
How Prepared Are Our Cities for a Hostile Vehicle Attack in 2022?
How Prepared Are Our Cities for a Hostile Vehicle Attack in 2022?

The circumstances and contexts of terror threats are ever-changing - in the past couple of years we have seen drastic changes to the complexity, frequency, and intensity of attacks in public places. With the trend of vehicular attacks on the rise, policy makers, urban designers, and landscape architects are considering more serious measures directed towards hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM).
News
Most Common Problems with HVM Security Measures
Most Common Problems with HVM Security Measures

Successfully implementing an HVM plan is not an easy task. It is one that requires planning, diligence, and in-depth knowledge about the market. However, making informed decisions about how best to execute a security plan is not impossible.
News
Standard vs. Custom Design: Which One is Better for your HVM Measure in 2022?
Standard vs. Custom Design: Which One is Better for your HVM Measure in 2022?

The initial tidal wave of security features that defined cities such as New York and London have slowly given way to subtler measures that can blend in with a cityscape. The responsibility of hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) has fallen onto the lap of many planners, designers, and architects to deliver security solutions that are “human-centric,” scalable, and aesthetically pleasing.
News
Bollards vs. Benches: What is the Best HVM Option for your City?
Bollards vs. Benches: What is the Best HVM Option for your City?

With constant developments in HVM, navigating the market can be a challenge and landscape architects are often faced with a host of different choices regarding the best safety measures.
News
Why is Security the Most Pressing Issue for Cities in 2022?
Why is Security the Most Pressing Issue for Cities in 2022?

As we move into the new year, questions about how we can make our cities safe and liveable in 2022 are ever-present.