Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Americans have become accustomed to heightened security measures. In many major U.S. cities, security zones surround high-profile buildings, oftentimes cutting off access to public parks and plazas. Safety is undoubtedly a priority, but as threat levels fall, what were once temporary safety measures have since become permanent barriers—walls that could be endangering the very freedoms they protect.

"We’re losing public space,” says Jeremy Nemeth, assistant professor at the College of Architecture and Planning.  During a 2007 pilot study on security zones in New York City, Nemeth discovered that nearly 30 percent of lower Manhattan had been permanently closed to the public.

Temporary security zones accompanying major events are also gaining ground. Such was the case at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Denver this fall. Because a portion of Auraria Campus—a public space—was within the DNC security perimeter, the campus was forced to close for the week.

“Not only are we losing physical space,” says Nemeth, “but we’re losing the opportunity to be in democratic space and to express dissent.” The freedom of expression and the right to petition are essential elements of democracy, but identifying the appropriate site to do so can be confusing when laws vary from city to city, says Nemeth. “Sometimes [protesters] don’t really know whether they’re crossing a line or not.”

Aided by a faculty development grant, Nemeth is extending the research he began in New York to Chicago and San Francisco. Along with three graduate students, he is using GPS locating and mapping devices to measure the physical space of security zones in each city. The team will also assess the community impact of each site according to its level of security.

Instead of nurturing feelings of safety for the public, barricades and fences likely only provoke feelings of threat, Nemeth explains. He proposes that cities camouflage security measures into their infrastructure. The city of New York, for example, turned the entire block around the stock exchange into a pedestrian-only area.  “It’s a way to balance the need for security with the need to protect civil liberties and also do what every planner wants to do: create a vibrant public space.”

Nemeth aims to empower community members through education and involvement in the planning process. Data from the study will enable him to create a community website where individuals can update neighborhood maps interactively and in real time. “I don’t want my work to speak to professionals only,” he stresses. “This is something we want to let the public know.”