Police Station as Palace of Commons

I am reimagining Police Station as a Palace of Commons,

Genealogically, Palaces were not just residences of power, they were spaces where various programs and public functions came together, often including surveillance and policing. Typically, the palaces upper fortified walls were used for surveillance and control, while the lower levels remained open and accessible to the public for various civic activities.

The peripheral arcades in such palaces created pavilions by thickening and thinning, offering flexible spaces for different uses.

This project proposes to flip this traditional arrangement: placing police programs on the lower levels and public programs above. This inversion challenges conventional hierarchies of power and visibility. By grounding policing, we make it more transparent and integrated into everyday civic life.

Meanwhile, elevating public programs symbolizes empowerment placing the commons literally and figuratively above the institution.

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