This document discusses the relationship between design and politics. It argues that design can both support existing political structures by making them more accessible, as well as challenge prevailing conditions by opening space for contestation and new practices. When design is applied in a partitioned, instrumental way to local policies, it can potentially lead to risks like gentrification. However, design may also refresh local politics when used to prototype new policies. The document presents examples of design initiatives that politicize public space and suggest alternatives to market-driven societies.