ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and the allied approach of Situational Crime Prevention (SCP) relates to an emerging perspective, the ‘Vibrant Secure Function Framework’, for safer and more sociable cities. This is a project-led, exploratory merger of the Security Function Framework pioneered by Ekblom (2012) and the Social-Safer design-led approach championed by Thorpe and Gamman (2013) and the team from the Design Against Crime Research Centre and Socially Responsive Design Unit at University of the Arts London (UAL). First, we introduce an example of this emerging framework, as applied within a project with the Institute of Transport Economics, working to promote greater confidence and reduced perceptions of insecurity in parallel with greater vibrancy and social connection within particular neighbourhood areas of Oslo. Second, we consider whether such approaches help to stimulate or generate design, in the sense that Dorst etal. (2016) set out, rather than merely document done designs, as Lulham etal. (2012) argue has been a challenge of such framework approaches. Third, we discuss which CPTED principles this combined-driver approach may embody or challenge. Lastly, we consider whether this ‘vibrant-secure’ or ‘social-safer’ framework could support ‘third generation’ progressive takes on CPTED (Thorpe and Gamman 2013; Saville 2013; UNICRI and MIT 2011; Ekblom 2010), or whether such approaches are better left to their own devices, outside the concerns and complexities associated with the CPTED movement.
