Before I go any further, let me define both of these objects.

Anti-sit: A jagged edged device that is attached to buildings or public objects to discourage people from sitting or leaning on them.

Starburst: A jagged edged balloon shape used to enclose text.

Like cousins in a dysfunctional design family, the anti-sit and the starburst strike me as having some disturbing similarities. At the heart of both these devices is an absurdity of form and function. Why would someone put spikes on something that looks like it should be sat upon? Why would someone put blades on a hand rail? Why would someone surround words that they want to be read and taken seriously with bright colors and pointy shapes? It is an absurdity that reminds me of Man Ray’s Cadeau sculpture of an iron with spikes on the bottom. As absurd as they may be, both the starburst and the anti-sit occur regularly. Their existence is the symptom of the same disease: bad design. To understand why the anti-sit and the starburst are examples of bad design, we have to understand why they get used in the first place.

When a client asks for text to be put in a starburst, they don’t usually understand that they are being rude to the reader. Like setting text in ALL CAPS or overuse of exclamation! marks!, a starburst is a way to yell at the reader. It is an insult, and does nothing to engage the viewer. Usually the person requesting a starburst isn’t sensitive enough to recognize the mistake they are making. In their mind, louder visuals mean that people will hear them. Yes, yelling at someone can get their attention, but there are very few print opportunities that warrant that tone of voice. Plus, most people have been screamed at so much, that they automatically turn their head when the pointy shapes start poking them in the eye. The average consumer is much too used to filtering out garbage to be fooled by a starburst. Perhaps a starburst is an honest mistake, but it is bad design regardless of uneducated intentions.

Like the starburst, it takes an equal amount of sensitivity to recognize why an anti-sit is rude. When something looks like a seat, it is a seat no matter what you attach to it. When spikes are placed on a seat, it is still a seat. The anti-sit insults more than the few people who are seeking a place to rest. Everyone who sees the blades is told the same hostile message, “This may look like a place to rest, but if you try it, I will hurt you.” The person who decides to install an anti-sit probably doesn’t realize that they are insulting everyone who notices the appendage. In their mind, they think that have solved a problem. Perhaps an anti-sit is an honest mistake, but it is bad design regardless of uneducated intentions.

I believe that another underlying problem that leads to starbursts and anti-sits is a fear of empty space. In layout terms, this is called white space. White space is the pleasant absence of clutter that guides a reader and assures that the copy has integrity. In physical terms, this is the space where we rest. Resting is good. Benches, parks, and elevators are all healthy structures that recognize the need for people to rest. Unfortunately, rest is something that strikes fear in some people. I guess they feel that any time spent resting is time that they aren’t buying something. As a result, fear of white space causes people to do irrational things like cover chairs with sharp objects. In print, it causes people to surround words with blades thinking that knives will cause you to stop reading and start buying.

The real problem with starbursts and anti-sits is that both are band-aid solutions to difficult questions. Anti-sits are added to the structure after a problem in the original structure is discovered. If there is a valid reason to prevent people from sitting in these places, then the problem isn’t the anti-sit, the problem is the person who designed the rail, ledge, window, etc. in the first place. The problems are complex and often expensive to solve correctly. When the anti-sits are targeted towards social problems like homelessness, the solutions become even more difficult. The best designed structures can do little to correct the causes of homelessness. This doesn’t excuse bad design however.

A very similar design problem happens when a client wants to add a starburst to a design. Just like it is easier to prevent people from sitting on a ledge by covering it with blades, it is easier to use starbursts and other scream tactics than it is to be honest in your presentation. Being honest means you have to have a product with integrity to begin with. It assumes that there is a plan and vision behind the message. Sadly, that isn’t always the case. Great designed ads can’t improve a bad product. Good design can’t make up for lack of planning. Like homelessness, it is impossible for designers to rid the world of companies with bad products and lack of planning. This doesn’t excuse bad design, however.

In the end, designers are left in a hard position. Examples of bad design will always surround us. Is there a better way to keep people moving than lining things with knives? Is there a better way to communicate than by yelling with starbursts? We know there is, and that is the message we must continue to spread.

*Link via designboom