CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2026
| Author | Neri, Zola Cleo |
|---|---|
| Title | Public Walls and the Right to the City: A Case Study of Viennas Wienerwand |
| Summary | This thesis examines the Wienerwand, Vienna’s public wall program, and whether it aligns with Henri Lefebvre’s theory of the right to the city. This theory expresses the importance of citizens having the ability and right to reshape their cities to conform with their collective vision. Lefebvre’s ideas put the person at the forefront for urban development, aiming to create human focused cities which offer equal access and opportunity to public spaces, goods, and programs. Graffiti research within the academic sphere has been growing in popularity. This is attributed to the rise of social media and key artists within the scene such as Banksy. While this popularity shifts the negative stigma away from graffiti, it is still scorned within public spaces and in official policy. Harsh policies create an inaccessible environment for those who want to participate. One can look towards public walls as an answer to this issue. These are government-sanctioned spaces within cities which offer surfaces for anyone to paint on, completely legally. This thesis will utilize primary sources such as an interview with the current head of the Wienerwand, as well as online surveys conducted among local street artists, to understand the impact of the public wall program on the Viennese cityscape. The program is extensive, offering around 27 public walls that are available without any overt barriers. The Wienerwand provides accessible space for people to exercise their ‘right to the city,’ but improvements need to be made to truly align with Lefebvre’s concept. This thesis will argue that while the Wienerwand specifically, and public walls programs in general, may aid citizens in feeling ownership over and exercising their right to the city, the very nature of such spaces as designated venues for limited participation is intrinsically at odds with the right to the city as a right to reshape one’s city. |
| Supervisor | Bodnar, Judit |
| Department | Undergraduate Studies BA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2026/neri_zola.pdf |
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