If you look closely down the street, you will see the two dump trucks lined up strategically to block vehicular access down Lexington (or was it Madison?). Its pope visit day, and the city, police, state and some of those federal dudes have come together to weave a line of security thru mid-town Manhattan. The width of streets, lined with stone, steel and brick buildings are fenced off by large white dump trucks. Any attempted car bomb heading toward the pope-mobile's path would be prevented. How does the width of our urban corridors signify security? How can the urban form breach security? We are familiar with technological gadgets (cameras, heat, radio-active sensors) placed within the city for "security". But how can the initial planning phases of a city implement, reinforce or even detract from overt security? How does this enforce or detract from public-ness, free speech or demonstration? Same-same but different from the overt use of the use of space to express power/security (Mao/Tienanmen Square, Hitler/Nuremberg, Haussmann+Nepoleon III/Paris).
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