Street furniture as a place-making tool: public appropriation and political conflict in Kensington and Chelsea, UK

This article examines everyday appropriations of street furniture as subtle yet meaningful forms of place-making and spatial negotiation within the highly regulated urban environment of Kensington and Chelsea, London. Employing a Grounded Theory methodology, the study identifies two interrelated appropriation modes – primary (spontaneous reinterpretations) and negotiated (deliberate modifications) – that reflect residents’ informal assertions of spatial agency. Drawing on theories of affordance, the right to the city, and micro-scale resistance, it argues that these interactions reveal overlooked dimensions of civic participation. The findings support more inclusive urban design practices that recognize and incorporate grassroots, bottom-up forms of public space engagement.