This essay diagnoses a political failure in the contemporary small-town city hall, arguing its architecture creates a “transactional trap” that has hollowed out local democratic discourse. As a counterproposal, it introduces “Argument-Driven Design”—a pedagogical method that reframes architecture as a tool for prosecuting political arguments. Through a portfolio of tactical prototypes that reconfigure, remap, and distribute civic space, the essay demonstrates how this agonistic approach can move beyond mere symbolism. It concludes by arguing for a repoliticized role for the architect as a strategic protagonist actively scaffolding a more resilient and pluralistic democracy.