The aesthetic characteristics of cities undoubtedly have a great influence on the life of citizens who circulate them and, in the meantime, pose a fundamental objective for urban planners and architects. Though, the public that is exposed to the urban environment needs to be protected from malicious terrorist attacks without being constantly reminded of such potential threats through the use of overdesigned, highly visible and obtrusive protective measures. The recently published European Commission ‘Security by Design’ handbook facilitates the transition from aesthetically unpleasant and costly to thought-through protective solutions, by providing relevant stakeholders with clear guidance on how to incorporate this concept from the outset of an urban design project.

The handbook provides illustrative examples of solutions for the protection of public spaces against terrorist attacks embracing the main notions of security by design to make public spaces safer, while at the same time emphasizing multi-functionality, sustainability, accessibility, inclusiveness, aesthetics and quality of life.

The initial response of many European cities to the early 21^st century attacks with the use of vehicles against crowded spaces focused on the resistance provided by security bollards and temporary barriers. The drive for securing public spaces through protective equipment aiming to prevent further attacks, overlooked that such elements should also promote a sense of openness and welcoming urban centres reflecting the values of European society.

To prevent this from happening again, a mind shift is needed in how we innovate, mainly by looking beyond the primary protective aspects that seek to ‘design out’ terrorism. We have to consider urban revitalisation attempts that seek to blend multifunctional security features into the overall design concept to improve the visual appearance and utility of public spaces.  Therefore, this handbook, created by the Commission along with a broad range of security experts and academia, facilitates the seamless integration of protective design into the urban realm.