Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010 Buscescu / Tejchman

On the website of Pratt Institute, the institute’s

statement states that its intended to work for
both the student body and the public. The
message on the site says that the presence of
chapter_1: it enriches the student’s lives as and creates an
oasis the public. The institute controls the
placement of the sculptures and what work is to
be on display. About 75% of the sculptures are
on loan from the artists. The others are either
commissioned work or students work (alumni
or current). The garden was established in the
last 90’s and continues to grow.

Once on campus you can sense the overall

presence of the sculptures due to the physical
Contained within the Pratt Campus is a large appearance of them. Walking through the
variety of sculptures varying in size and scale. campus, brick, concrete and paved walkways
The placement of these seems to be a bit delineate spaces of travel from one point to
arbitrary. The presence of the sculptures at another. The edge conditions of most pathways
times delineate spaces around the campus, through campus contain a sculpture. The scale
such as pathways, open areas (sculpture the sculpture varies based on the placement
garden) and boundary condition to keep people within the campus layout.
off of certain areas. The question that automati-
cally arises from the placement and use of the
sculptures is the reason behind them. Yes,
Pratt Institute is an art school and the public
display of art helps emphasis the title, Art
Institute. Being a “public” campus most of the
sculpture work is on display for not only the
student body but also for the surrounding
neighborhood, only visible through a black
silted fence.

As I walked down the main pathway of campus,

on “ Ryerson Walk” heading north I notice a
number of sculptures, or are they are they
simply art pieces that line the brick pathway.
The library is on the far left with a grass area
right in front of the library to the near left. I can
see another walkway, concrete, that presents
itself separating the grass area and the library,

1
Hardcore Architecture: The Biological and Cultural
which leads north towards the “sculpture
garden”. The placement of the sculptures
seems to act a buffer zone or even a boundary
for edge of the brick pathway. I begin to recog-
nize that not only are they a boundary condition
they are a strong presence to my senses. The
smaller scale of the sculptures tend to keep my
eyes drawn low to the ground but I can’t help to
see large steel looking structures peeking
through openings around trees and sculptures.
The problem is that I can barely see them. The
buffer zone of smaller scaled sculptures has
slowed my progression down. I ask myself why
are these smaller sculptures here? Why do I
tend to walk slower past certain sculptures
even though I’ve seen them numerous times
throughout the semester?
The answer to these questions are: scale,
materiality, style and shape. The most intrigu-
ing sculptures engage my mind in almost a
checklist way. First mental question, what is it
made of? Steel, concrete and heavy timbers
are just a few materials to name off that are the
most intriguing. They represent a sense of
power strength and industry. Not necessarily a
material you would think in terms of an art
piece. The second set of questions I ask myself
are, how big is this? Do I need to step back to
really understand the overall size of this? That
answers the reason why my senses have
slowed my progression down while in this
buffer zone of sculptures. These answers still
leave me with one final question, why are they
all in the way of each other?
The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson
As I turn left off of the brick pathway on “Ryer-
son Walk” I enter the beginning of what I’m
going to call an industrial garden, not a sculp-
ture garden. I say this because there is no
order to the massive steel, wood and stone
structures. They all has a sense of teetering
with disaster. Meaning any of them seem as if
they are going to fall over. They push the limits
of materials. I get this sense from being able to
touch and physically move them. I’m engaged
with them. When I step back to get a better
view or perspective of any of sculptures to
understand what its function is or what its
representing I begin to enter a new space.
What is this space? It’s the space where the
sculpture either behind, in front of or to the right
or left of the one I’m viewing begins to intrude
or get in the way. My senses start to battle with
which sculpture I’m viewing. Which is the one
that holds president over the other?
The final answer to that question is, none of
them hold president over the other. The insti-
tute has created an unorganized placement of
sculptures on display. Not much of an oasis for
the artists who have lent their work to be
displayed. The idea behind sculptures is send a
message to its viewer through materiality and
scale. In order to fully appreciate a sculpture
you must be able to view it from a far or up
close and at many different angles.
2
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010
This leads me to my own installation to inter-
vene this issue of placement and optimal view.
I’m purposing to build an installation that will
allow one to answer the main issues of viewing
a sculpture. The installation will touch on four
issue, subject, context, form and style. Subject
being its function or express. Context being can
it be seen from above, below or at a different
level. Form means, angles, shape, use of
material and optimal lighting. Lastly style, is it
rough, smooth, linear or abstract. The installa-
tion will allow the student body, the public and
the institute to share the meaning of the sculp-
ture while pleasing the needs of each group.
The artist will be allowed to have a say on the
situating of the installation. The public and the
student body can use the space in such a
manor that is pleasing the artist because it will
allow for proper viewing of a sculpture. I am
going to zoom into one specific sculpture on
campus. Its located or shall I say tucked in the
left corner of the “sculpture garden”. Its called,
Jive by Mark Disuvero.
3
Buscescu / Tejchman
The sculpture is one of the largest scaled
sculptures on the campus. Personally it’s one
of the most intriguing as well. The bright orange
color that is painted on the steel automatically
draws your eyes to it. It can been seen from
afar because it’s about 50’ of construction
orange steel leaning as if it’s about to fall over.
The use of the color and the uses of the heave
steal makes it so bold. Once I got closer the
sculpture I couldn’t fully brace the massiveness
of the structure. I could only see that one steel
column was resting on the other steel column,
that’s how its was standing up. From afar these
two exact, orange steel columns look as if one
pierces or penetrates the other. Making it seem
as if the sculpture could just slid right down to
the ground splitting in two. This view only
occurs as you walk up to it from the defined
concrete walkways to the right of “Jive” within
the sculpture garden. This is the only time were
one can see the sculpture from at least a
distance of 100’. To the left of Jive is the Pratt
Library building within 50’ of it. To the back of
Jive about another 50’-75’ is the black slitted
fence that keeps the public to the outside of the
campus.
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

As you walk through the entrance of the sculp-

ture garden you will be greeted by small reflec-
tive planes that are angles towards Jive. This
allows for the full presences of Jive to be view
from afar and not obstructed. The closer you
get to Jive the larger the reflective surfaces get.
The placements of the reflective surfaces are
places in such positions that as you view one
reflection you will be able to see and receive
views from 360 degrees of the sculpture. There
are also reflective planes at the base of Jive
that will allow people to view Jive above while
standing on the ground, not having to strain
and look up.

This means you can never have the sense of

view the sculpture the right way. To an artist
this is not ideal. To me, the student, this isn’t
ideal as well. I am not an expert at sculptures
or how to view them right but I know it’s hard to
view something that is 50’ high from a distance
that is less that its height. To fix this issue, my
installation is a series of reflective planes that
can also be used as benches for the student
body and the public to use. Since the areas are
the base of a lot of sculptures on campus are
used for areas to gather or relax. The whole
idea behind the reflections is to block the linear
view of other sculptures will in the “view area”
of sculpture you are viewing.

Overall, the installation can be used on all

sculptures around the Pratt campus. I will allow
for each sculpture to be viewed in the proper
way while intervening with the institutes unor-
ganized layout of the sculptures. I will only
contribute and enhance the lives of the student
body and the public oasis.

4
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010
chapter_2:
There is a strong connection between politics
and architecture that starts with systems of
sovereignty and humans rights. As defined in
Agemben’s Homo Sacer, sovereignty is a state
of exceptions, were it can be exempt from the
law at one point and administer the law at
another point. The first line of the text states, “
The Paradox of Sovereignty consists in the fact
that the sovereign is, at the same time, outside
and inside the juridical order.” (Agemben 15) It
is not the sovereign that makes the rules and
laws. The sovereign only decides the state of
exception to where normalcy or ordinary living
can occur in a society. In order for the sover-
eign power to work there must be an inclusion
within a society in order for there to be an
exclusion. The exception of the sovereign
power is the ability for it to with hold the law
from the excluded life within the inclusion.
Meaning the identify of a person comes from
association of a collective group or society. A
permanent state of exception would then
become the basis of political power.
The principle of sovereignty is a threshold or a
fine line between law and life. This couldn’t be
anymore fitting for the bases of my thesis
project. The police and the public, the sover-
eign and the exclusion, either way you look at it
there is a fine line drawn between the law and
life. The police re-enforce the law and have
power to define unlawfulness and normalcy in a
community of society. Having this ability
becomes an exclusive operation allowing the
police to gain power of the public and making it
a subject to political power, the government. A
police officer in a sense is an exception
because it works for the sovereign state and
5
Buscescu / Tejchman
has the ability to arrest and reprimand some
one for breaking the law in everyday life.
“Historically the police have almost always
been a reactionary force defending the king
and emperor, the nobility and the aristocracy,
the institutions of property and repression.”
(Black 25) This fits perfectly into the idea of the
police being the protector and enforcer for the
sovereign. This statement address policing
terms of the past. A more modern way of
policing has evolved over the years. The police
now work with the public and the government
to protect and serve. “ Two branches of govern-
ment, the executive and the judiciary, are
involved. They work together to preserve the
balance between individual rights and the
common good.” (Phillips 3) A police station is
one of few public builds where the public
comes into direct contact with the government.
This touches on the threshold between law and
life, sovereignty is policing. A Police station is a
very important building to a community. It works
on many social levels. Depending on the size
of the community it is serving, determines the
social level of the building. In New York City the
police station works on the highest social level.
It serves and protects all of New York City but
also extends its services to a global level.
There are specialized units within the NYPD
call counter terrorism units that specialize in
fight and preventing further terrorist attacks on
New York City.
above, a member of the NYPD’s Hurcules Unit out in the public.

This becomes another threshold, rather than a
fine line between law and life it become
between law and war. It’s a global group, which
is based out of a public building. This issue
setups difficult and intense relationships
between the public and the police.
On a more localized level the police station can
provide relief to a community with a sense of
security and order. “Police facilities are often
integrated with other services- community
services, local and municipal governments. The
locations of police facilities is particularly impor-
tant, because the presence of uniformed
personnel has a deterrent effect on criminal
activity.”(Phillips 11) A police station can also
act as a communal center for the public. The
introduction of more public programs into the
police station can allow the public to access the
police station in a controlled manor. “The
dilemma of designing civic buildings which
should express the values of our open and
democratic society…”(www.allbusiness.com)
This might seem to be a difficult task due to the
negative connotation that the police get from
the public and the sense of fear that the police
have. The deterrent of criminals can also act
for the public too. Many people get very anx-
ious around the police because of the general
sense of intimidation and power. Police facili-
ties are highly secure buildings. There is an
orderly and militant feeling to them. Historically
they were cold, stony buildings with limited
windows. The public would not approach the
building unless they were in handcuffs. The old
image of a police station still gives in a negative
connotation by the public. This project is focus-
ing on getting over that negativity and design-
ing a more positive civic building. The design
isn’t one of a friendly inviting aesthetic to the
building but rather it will work on more of a
social level. It will become and extension of the
urban fabric of New York City.
The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson
The design will try and reverse the idea of a
police station being jailhouse by welcoming the
public into the police station. After all, the idea
of the police is to protect and serve the commu-
nity. The word, “community” means: the people
of a district or country considered collectively,
esp. in the context of social values and respon-
sibilities. The police are a huge factor in
protecting social values and responsibilities.
These aspects of the community should take
place within the police station too. Through the
working of strategic program placement, site
selection and scale, a public police station can
be designed.
Since 9/11 security has been a huge issue in
the design of police station across the country.
There are many ways to design around security
issues without disrupting the programmatic
issues of a police station while inviting the
public into the building. One would think the
easiest way to bring the public into the police
station is to design an interior public courtyard.
Which are a start but not the modern day
answer to the problem. Thinking on a more
secure and social level, the idea of an interior
courtyard can be turned inside out. Where the
landscape of and exterior courtyard becomes a
security buffer zone for the building but also
allows for public use. Older police stations are
places right against the street with the court-
yard in the middle. This was the act as a sense
of intimidation for the public. Adding the court-
yard the front of the building makes the idea of
the police less intimidating. Its sends a more
inviting gesture to the public. Like I said before,
it becomes and extension of the urban fabric.
The issues with security usual mean the
programmatic design of a police station
become more like a labyrinth of walls that make
up offices and hallways. “For walls produce and
reflect fear as well as security.”(Ellin 102) Walls
are boundaries that suggest a division between
groups or people. In this case the division if the
police and the public. “Walls are two sided in
their purpose: at once creating and seeking to
defend against the impact of division.”(Ellin
103) To eliminate this the design and layout of
the police station should allow for some type of
transparency and ambiguity. Most people do
not know what takes place inside a police
building besides the obvious, arrests.
6
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010
Most police stations have no visual connections
with the secure programs of the station and the
public. The lack of connection leads to uncer-
tainty. The sense of fear stems from a feeling of
uncertainty. In order to invite the public into
such a secure, militarized building there has to
be some sort of visual penetration by the
public.
This leads me to the three main types of circu-
lation and occupation in a police building:
public, private and common space. Common
space is the grey space in between the public
and private. Common space isn’t necessarily a
designed area. Its an area that private and
public overlap. We share common space as
humans on earth. “The common wealth of the
material world” (Hardt 178) The common is the
most important part of a building that combines
the public and the private. Or in this case the
police and the public. The common space is an
adhesion between the two sectors. To most
people the way to make a private build public
would be to simply add a public space to it.
This is not the case where the common space
in-between dictates the dialogue between the
private and the public. It’s where both sectors
become the same or equal. “ The common
space is a sphere of broad and largely
unplanned encounter. No individual is sover-
eign in this sphere, but each, on entering it,
renounces the right to dictate the terms upon
which he communes and conflicts with
others.”(Glazer 13) The public needs the police
and the police need the public. The combina-
tion of the two sectors will allow for a highly
functional politicized building.
The idea of a police station is that of a welcom-
ing and public interface. The social shift of a
police station has drastically changed from
private fortress to a building for public reassur-
ance and safety. Civic architecture is use to
7
Buscescu / Tejchman
emphasize the idea of the public and gathering
of the community. It is time to do away with
large cold megalithic police buildings that deter
the public and design a more communal build-
ing where government and public can feel as
one. After we live in a democratic society that
decides who our government is. Why can’t the
public decide what a governmental building is?
1. Todd S. Phillips and Michael A Griebel, Building Type
Basics for Justice Facilities (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc., 2003), PG. 3,11,13-29
2. Algernon D. Black, The People and the Police (New
York: McGraw- Hill Book Company, 1968) pg. 25, 37
3. Nathan Glazer and Mark Lilla, The Public Face of
Architecture: Civic Culture & Public Spaces (New York:
The Free Press a Division of Macmillan, Inc., 1987) pg.
13-15
4. Nan Ellin, Architecture of Fear (New York, New York:
Princeton Architectural Press, Inc., 1997) pg.101-114
5. “AIA lecture to balance design aesthetic and security
issues.” (February 9, 2000). Available from:
<http://www.allbusiness.com/operations/facilities-
commercial-real-estate/451950-1.html> (accessed 25
October 2009).
6. Andrea Cohen Gehring, “Police stations are undergo-
ing major changes, moving away from a fortress mental-
ity to a more positive focus on civic life” Urban land, 65,
no. 10, (October 2006): 114-116
7. Beth Kapsuta, “Inviting the public inside, the Ontario
Provincial Police Headquarters offers openness without
sacrificing security” Architectural Record, 188, no.6,
(June 1998): 118-125
8. He Shi, “NYPD ESU Hercules @34th Manhattan,
NYC” (Image). Available from: Flicker <
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyshi/3055255880>
(accessed 31 October 2009).
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

chapter_3

Historically police stations have always had a

negative connotation surrounding them. This is
due to the cold and dull architecture of the
police stations and the attitude that the police
used to have. There was a lot of corruption
within the NYPD and many other police units
around America in the mi 1850’s. The police
took advantage of the poor and became slave
in a sense for the rich. Their main purpose or
mission state was to keep peace, protect the
population and enforce laws for the common
good, the public. Most of the time the police
were the main cause of the peace being
disrupted. In Luc Sante’s book, Low Life he
says, At times they (the police) seemed like
gansters in uniform, and at times, particularly in
the clums, like a capricios locl government in
which they combined legislative, executive, and
judicial branches.”(Sante 237) Due to the
corruptive manner of the police, many people
thought negatively about them. “The over-
whelming impression is that cops were simply
not much good to anyone who did not have the
wherewithal to hire them as private day labor-
ers or night watchmen.” (Sante 249)
As far the cold architecture, the buildings were
designed as “ grim, fortress-style, windowless,
stony, and forbidding buildings that people
entered only if they were in trouble or in hand-
cuffs. (Gehring) The architecture of police
stations have traditionally be buildings
designed to impress. They were meant to be
designed with thick concrete, stone and brick
walls with small windows. The design was
supposed to target the public and to show the
governmental and sovereignty power it has
over the public. It shows the power of the law
by its brutalist design.
8
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010 Buscescu / Tejchman

9
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

nydp headquarters building

architect: gruzen & partners
year: 1973

10
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010
With the development and the design of the
NYPD headquarters building at One Police
Plaza, Manhattan, the idea of the public started
to play a bigger role. The architects Gruzen &
Partners. The only thing about their public
design was it was still contained mainly on the
exterior of the building. “The plaza is lined with
honey locust trees and fitted with benches, a
large sculpture executed in weathering
steel…and a variety of small pedestrian ameni-
ties that encourage strollers to pause, lovers to
dally, city brown-baggers to linger over sand-
wiches and apples. The exterior landscape of
the building was to welcome the public and feel
at ease. The plaza area became the first area
of intersection between the police and the
public. The architects design the bottom two
floors of the building as low lying volumes that
project out into the city that supported the 10
11
Buscescu / Tejchman
floor cube of office spaces above it. The bottom
level bellow the plaza floor houses a large
public parking garge (478) cars, pistol range,
detention cells, equipment stores and a host of
specialized police spaces. The plaza level
includes the main lobby, the Departmnet of
Licenses, press and public spaces along with a
large assembly hall that is used for both the
public and the police. The offices are strictly
use by the police. The office floors are open
space that can adapt to emergencies where
they can turn the open space into a large
emergency operation station. This building
plays with scale and program. As soon as you
enter into the building you enter a double
height space that is open to above. This allows
the public eye to penetrate as deep as it can
access into the building. The openness invites
the public to spaces it knows are accessible.
The police areas in this building tend to be
single story spaces where the public eye can
not reach and the visually connection between
spaces isn’t as crucial for the program use.
private
private & public
public
The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

the private circulation of the

police peirces the middle of
the public and privates
space (top left) the elevator
leads the police up to the
typical office floor plans
(above) the overall massing
of the building takes on the
form on an office building
sitting on top of a civi plaza
(below)

12
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010
public ‘common’
Since 9/11 One Police Plaza has gone through
some strict and strategic plans to improve the
security of the building. By doing so there has
been a public uproar about the building. The
public is now hardly allowed into the building.
Rather than the building acting on a social level
such as the civic center it was designed to be it
deters the public away. The interior public
boundaries have now been pushed outside of
the building. The public now needs to be
granted permission to enter the building. There
is only one public entrance to the building now
pre 9/11
boundaries
13
Buscescu / Tejchman
private
and the parking garage is not public. Along
with the interior public space, the exterior plaza
is now an area of uneasiness. The is because
there are now numerous vehicular barriers
surround the building that extend security of the
building far into the urban fabric of Manhattan.
The boundaries now deter the public away from
the zone and it no longer connects the neigh-
bor hood with the civic center as it once did. It
has turned back the old method of police
stations. It has become a fortress to Manhattan
and even the world.
post 9/11
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

pre 9/11 post 9/11

the public has now been pushed out of the building

14
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010 Buscescu / Tejchman

notes:

1. Luc Sante, Low Life (New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux,

1991) pg 237, 249.
2. Andrea Cohen Gehring, “Police stations are undergo-
ing major changes, moving away from a fortress mental-
ity to a more positive focus on civic life” Urban land, 65,
no. 10, (October 2006): 114-116
3. Barclay F. Gordon, “A firm, new edge for New York's
chaotic civic district.” Architectural Record, 156, no. 7,
(November 1974): 107-112.
4. “One Police Plaza Security Plan EIS, Figure S-1”
(image). Available from: NYPD
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/hq_feis/Exe
cutive%20Summary.pdf (accessed 31 October 2009).
5. “One Police Plaza Security Plan EIS, Figure 6-1”
(image). Available from: NYPD
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloads/pdf/hq_feis/Exe
cutive%20Summary.pdf (accessed 31 October 2009).

15
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

Orilla, Ontario

architect: dunlop farrow inc. architects &

douglas neville, w.m. salter

Ontario Vinicial Police Headquarters is a large

5720,000 square foot complex. While it’s the
headquarters for the police it is also a very
public building. The interesting layout of the
building allows for the public and private to
interact on many levels. The private sector of
the building which is for the police is set back
and extrudes up behind the public programs to
form an office type building. The public
programs of the building are located in a two
story glazed “street”. Within the public areas
there is an auditorium, a gift shop, a museum,
and a cafeteria. Each program volume is distin-
guished along the curved spin of the building.
The most important part of the design was the
transparency of the building. In order for the
public and private to fit into the same building
with out deterring the public was to allow for the
public eye to penetrate deep into the building.
The two story public corridor has visual con-
nections with large private atria’s that are multi
stories high. This gives the public a sense of
security as it can see the private sector of the
building.

16
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010 Buscescu / Tejchman

private
private & public
public

17
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

The public volumes of the

Onatrio Police Headquarters
feed off the gray shade zone in
this image which is the “public
street”. The public zone takes
up the front portion of the
building. The zone becomes a
buffer zone to the privates
secture of the building. The
blue shaded zones are the
main public zones of the build-
ing that anchor the public
inside the building.

18
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010 Buscescu / Tejchman

The scale of the building

plays a huge rile in the
relationship between the
public and private spaces of
a building. The architects
pay close attention to the
relationship between the
scale of the public with the
scale of private. The public
is defined by a two story
height that anchors the
public within the building.
The threshold between the
public and private is a
security key card entry zone
localed at the base of the
large private atria spaces at
the end of entry of the
elevators that are strictly
private use.When the open
public space intersects the
trheshold between the
public and private the space
then becomes extend four
more stories high. In this
case the public on the
ground floor can look up
into the private atrias as if it
was still part of the public
space. There are no large
physical walls that deflect
the public view of the
private. The images on the
far right show the relation-
ship of the private atria
spaces to the public spaces
on the ground floor.

19
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

notes:

6. Beth Kapsuta, “Inviting the public inside, the Ontario

Provincial Police Headquarters offers openness without
sacrificing security” Architectural Record, 188, no.6,
(June 1998): 118-125

20
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010
chapter_4:
There is a strong connection between politics
and architecture that starts with systems of
sovereignty and humans rights. As defined in
Agemben’s Homo Sacer, sovereignty is a state
of exceptions, were it can be exempt from the
law at one point and administer the law at
another point. The first line of the text states, “
The Paradox of Sovereignty consists in the fact
that the sovereign is, at the same time, outside
and inside the juridical order.” (Agemben 15) It
is not the sovereign that makes the rules and
laws. The sovereign only decides the state of
exception to where normalcy or ordinary living
can occur in a society. In order for the sover-
eign power to work there must be an inclusion
within a society in order for there to be an
exclusion. The exception of the sovereign
power is the ability for it to with hold the law
from the excluded life within the inclusion.
Meaning the identify of a person comes from
association of a collective group or society. A
permanent state of exception would then
become the basis of political power.
The principle of sovereignty is a threshold or a
fine line between law and life. This couldn’t be
anymore fitting for the bases of my thesis
project. The police and the public, the sover-
eign and the exclusion, either way you look at it
there is a fine line drawn between the law and
life. The police re-enforce the law and have
power to define unlawfulness and normalcy in a
community of society. Having this ability
becomes an exclusive operation allowing the
police to gain power of the public and making it
a subject to political power, the government. A
police officer in a sense is an exception
because it works for the sovereign state and
21
Buscescu / Tejchman
has the ability to arrest and reprimand some
one for breaking the law in everyday life.
“Historically the police have almost always
been a reactionary force defending the king
and emperor, the nobility and the aristocracy,
the institutions of property and repression.”
(Black 25) This fits perfectly into the idea of the
police being the protector and enforcer for the
sovereign. This statement address policing
terms of the past. A more modern way of
policing has evolved over the years. The police
now work with the public and the government
to protect and serve. “ Two branches of govern-
ment, the executive and the judiciary, are
involved. They work together to preserve the
balance between individual rights and the
common good.” (Phillips 3) A police station is
one of few public builds where the public
comes into direct contact with the government.
This touches on the threshold between law and
life, sovereignty is policing. A Police station is a
very important building to a community. It works
on many social levels. Depending on the size
of the community it is serving, determines the
social level of the building. In New York City the
police station works on the highest social level.
It serves and protects all of New York City but
also extends its services to a global level.
There are specialized units within the NYPD
call counter terrorism units that specialize in
fight and preventing further terrorist attacks on
New York City.

public & press
information
lockup area records
communications
center
property &
evidence
patrol
investigations
roll call/
breifing room
traffic units
Public Lobby
The Public lobby should be well lit by natural
sun light along with artificial lighting. The lobby
should be highly visible by from the front desk
of the police station. The lobby should have
limited seating, only enough seating to accom-
modate the front desk. It should also be some-
what of an open design so people can not
conceal weapons or become out of sight from
the front desk. The lobby is a mixing chamber
for the public and its further access into the
building. The lobby is controlled by the records
center or the communications center. There
should be public restrooms accessible from the
public lounge.
Crime analysis unit/ staff
(detectives)
This is a core group of police department that
work within the station. They are located in the
secure zone of the police station. This group
works on collecting and analyzing crime data.
They then report the crime data to detectives
The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson
public lobby
administrative
offices
crime analysis
firing range unit (detectives)
training
and patrol officers. They are situated within
quiet office spaces in the station. The work
area for this unit/ staff should capable of hous-
ing numerous computers and other technolo-
gies. The space should have some type of
acoustical separation from other louder areas
of the station to allow for concentration.
Press & Public Information
The information that is released from the police
is usually important information for the public.
In order for quick and precise information to be
released there should be a space in the police
station for the press to either hold an office or
to use during news releases or conferences.
The location of this space should be close to
the records station and connected to the lobby.
Entrance to this space should also be through
the lobby and never directly connected to the
secure policing zones of the station.
22
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010
Administrative Offices
These office are what keep the station running
from day to day. These offices hold the neces-
sary administrative work for all the station and
policing functions. The office spaces should be
within the secure zone of the police station.
The office spaces should be both open and
closed. Either has a cubical setup so multiple
people can work together in an office space or
have an enclosed room or rooms of offices for
more private and confidential administrative
work. The space should be adaptable for
technologies such as computers printers and
other specific workstations. There should be
some means of privacy and acoustical quali-
ties’ to allow for concentration.
Patrol Areas
The Patrol Unit is the branch of the Police
station that deploys from the station out into the
public. Their job is to full fill the requirements of
the Police as far as protecting and serving the
public. This unit is on a 24/7/365 operation
schedule. The schedule is usually broken up
into 3 shifts and work under the supervision of
the Sergeant or Lieutenants. The Patrol unit
usually has its own space within the station
such as a garage for vehicles and other trans-
portation devices. They also share a number of
spaces within the station.
-Roll Call/ assembly areas
-report writing areas
-conference/ work room(s)
-storage areas
- staff restrooms
-exercise and training areas
23
Buscescu / Tejchman
Roll call/ briefing room
The role call/ briefing room is really important to
the police station. This room is used everyday.
Typically during peak times of the day or at shift
overlaps. This is were the entire police force
gathers to be briefed about daily activity such
as new developments in crime cases, schedule
changes, daily activities and other important
daily developments. This room should be large
enough to fit the entire police staff at any given
time. It should have all means of technology to
view presentations digitally or to be written out
on a white board. This room is where a lot of
information is exchanged and should be ready
for any form and method of exchange.
Close to the roll call / briefing room should be
staff lockers, rest rooms, exercise areas and
closets that can hold necessary uniforms such
as special weather gear or other special
uniforms needed for the Patrol unit.
Training
Training is very important in a police station.
There should be adequate spaces for training.
Training can consist of academic training,
advanced training, and specialized training,
civilian training programs. The training keeps
the police up to date with techniques in polic-
ing. The spaces should include training materi-
als such as files, books and computers. It’s the
learning center within the station. The training
areas should accommodate both groups and
individuals. This is where the station will sus-
tain itself and allow for it to adapt to changing
times.
Training areas can also be exercise areas such
as a gym area for health and fitness training.
Traffic Units
This unit is responsible for marinating and
enforcing parking and traffic rules and laws.
This unit includes responding to accidents,
handling special events and conducting at
scene investigation along with follow-ups. The
traffic unit should have a garage for vehicles
storage, refueling and maintenance. This
garage can either be part of the station or be a
separate building located else where. The other
spaces required for this unit is a public recep-

Lockup Areas
The lockup area is used when the patrol unit
brings in an arrestee either for questioning of
short term holding. All lock up areas in a police
station is only short term. Arrestees are either
released or transported to a detention facility
else where depending on the reasoning behind
the lock up. The lock up area should provide
space for booking, processing and holding of a
person who is in custody. This area should be
connected to the area where the patrol unit
parks their cars. The area should be a secure
area that has an evidence/ property drop off
station where the arrestees’ possessions go.
Along with that there should be a gun locker to
secure the police officers weapons before
moving the prisoner to the processing center.
At the processing center the arrestee is finger
printed, digitally photographed and sent to a
holding cell. There is also an interviewing room
in the lock up area.
In connection with the lock up area should be a
lineup or identification room that is used by the
police and the public. This space should have
direct connection with the public lobby for
public access. It should also be connected to
the lockup area.
Records
The records staff is responsible for kepping all
police reports, warrants and arrests files,
fingerprint cards, traffic records and weapons
registration files and records. This area should
be connected to the public lobby with a public
counter for the public to use. It should also be
connected to the patrol roll call/ report room.
Firing range
The firing range should be in a well lit room
with exceptional acoustical qualities. The room
is loud when a firearm is fired. The room can
have both an actual firing range or a computer
simulated firing range. The firing range should
include a supply room for ammunition and an
armorer’s room for gun storage.
The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson
Communications center
This is the 911 emergency call center. They are
responsible for receiving and processing calls.
This area operates on a 24/7/365 day sched-
ule. This is the nerve system of the whole
police station. It is what sends the police and
fire departments out into the public. This area
should be placed within the secure area but
can also be seen by the public eye. Although
the public should never have direct contact with
this center because it can be very disruptive. In
smaller stations this center can be connected
to the public lobby because it can handle the
radio dispatch as well as the reception of the
public. In larger stations it should be buried
deeper in the building. Within the center there
should be numerous communication consoles
to be used to notify all necessary departments
of an emergency. The center should be con-
nected to the connected to the records area but
in a secure place.
Property and evidence
This area should include property and evidence
storage and drop areas, evidence lockers,
general storage areas, vaults for drugs, valu-
ables, weapons and other items. There should
also be storage for bikes, large equipment or
furniture. All stolen property and seized prop-
erty is processed here. This area is a highly
secure area that should have direct access
from the patrol units and where they park their
cars. This are should also be located near the
staff entrance and should have public access in
order for the public to claim any stolen property.
Investigations
This is where all major crimes are investigated.
This area should have individual and team
working areas, conference/ interviewing rooms,
equipment storage and supply rooms, copying
and computer equipment and areas for storing
records. The investigation area should be
located near the patrol unit, with discrete
access from the public lobby. Victims,
witnesses and observers should use the
discrete entry to conceal their involvement with
an investigation. There should be direct or
good access directly to the evidence storage
and processing areas.
24
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010 Buscescu / Tejchman

attorney’s interrogation room (80 sq ft.)

proisoner’s visiting room (400 sq ft.) (480 sq ft.)
roll call or assembly room (1800 sq ft.)
interrogation room (330 sq ft.)
stolen property storage (950 sq ft.)
prisoner’s waiting room (300 sq ft.)
dining quarters (600 sq ft.)
food storage (150 sq ft.)
kitchen
storage room
(1050 sq ft.)
(450 sq ft.)
(9,025 sq ft.)
drying room (120 sq ft.)
jail supervisor’s room (300 sq ft.)
detainee toilet & shower room (250 sq ft. 10 cells)
group cells (cell block) (600 sq ft. 10 cells)
isolation cells (1,200 sq ft. 20 cells)
booking & searching room (300sq ft.)
drive-in-escape proof garage (625sq ft.)
police medical exanimation room (300sq ft.)
(secure) drunkometer
(420sq ft.)
chemical analysis
storage (150 sq ft.)
line up room
(250 sq ft.)
(7,820 sq ft.)
identification records
photographing dark room (350 sq ft.)
photographing & fingerprinting room (350 sq ft.)
firearms range (6,000 sq ft.)
training euip. storage (50 sq ft.)

public police library (150 sq ft.)

(admin) classrooms (1,500 sq ft.)
training director’s office (320 sq ft.)
commissioner of public safety (225 sq ft.)
(3,040 sq ft.)
chief’s office (320 sq ft.)

conference room (225 sq ft.)

assistant chief’s office (170 sq ft.)

assistant chief’s secratary’s office (80 sq ft.)

central records maintenance

traffic records
personal records (1,800 sq ft.)
copying and printing center
purchasing, accounting, bookkepping (2,595 sq ft.)
captain’s indentification & records office (320sq ft.)
telephone switchboard (125sq ft.)

telephone receiving center

(350sq ft.)
radio receiving and dispatch center
pulic entrance (500 sq ft.)
public waiting room
public restrooms (240 sq ft.)
public receptionist (240 sq ft.) (2,480 sq ft.)
complaint counter
traffic violations bureau (1,500 sq ft.)
traffic reporting counter

total: 25,440 sq ft.

The idea behind this diagram is to take all

security assecablity of the police station as far
as the public access and the police access and
define the intersecting areas. It’s more in less a
data sorting flow chart. Each color coded sec-
tion is broken down into defined square footage
that is required for it. By breaking down what is
in the larger area it makes in possible to figure
out the over all foot print of the building.
25
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

courtroom
900 sq ft

attorney's
interrogation
room
160 sq ft

Once i knew the square footage of each

piece of the program based upon
prisoner's
visiting room

800 sq ft

roll call/ assembly room

accessability and access, I created

3,600 sq ft

interrogation room
660 sq ft
boxes based to show a rough size of the
stolen property room
1,900 sq ft
program area. The diagram on the left
shows all the zone broken down into the
sizes that they be. Once that was deter-
prisoner's waiting room
600 sq ft

dining quarters

mined it was a matter of placing and

1,200 sq ft

food storage

organizing the boxes in a logical and

300 sq ft

kitchen
2,100 sq ft

coherant order that fit the overall secu-

rity plan of the building. The diagram
storage room
900 sq ft

below shows the security order of the

drying room
480 sq ft

jail supervisor's room

spaces. Its not to be the overall layout of

1,200 sq ft

the building but rather an organizational

detainee toilet & showers
1,000 sq ft

group cells (cell block) 2,400 sq ft (20 cells)

isolation cells 3,200 sq ft (40 cells)
strategy to further develope the relation-
booking & searching room

1,200 sq ft
ships of the programs.
drive-in-escape proof garage
1,250 sq ft

medical examination room

600 sq ft

drunkometer & chemical analysis

840 sq ft

storage
300 sq ft

line up room &

identification records

500 sq ft

photographing dark room

700 sq ft

fingerprinting room
700 sq ft

firearms range

12,000 sq ft

training
equip.
storage
100 sq ft

library
300 sq ft

training director's office

640 sq ft

classrooms
3,000 sq ft

commissioner of pub safety

450 sq ft

chief's office
640 sq ft

firearms range
captain's indetification & prisoner's
records office visiting room 12,000 sq ft
conference room
450 sq ft telephone 640 sq ft
switchboard
800 sq ft
(under groung)
250 sq ft attorney's
interrogation drunkometer & chemical analysis
room 840 sq ft
photographing dark room fingerprinting room
assistant chief's office
340 sq ft
160 sq ft
line up room & medical examination room 700 sq ft
700 sq ft
identification records 600 sq ft
telephone recieving center
radio recieving & dispatch center storage
chief's courtroom jail supervisor's room 300 sq ft 500 sq ft
secratary's
office public receptionist 700 sq ft
160 sq ft 900 sq ft 1,200 sq ft
480 sq ft
interrogation room
central records maintenance drive-in-escape proof garage
traffic records 660 sq ft
personal records 1,250 sq ft
copying & printing center
purcahsing, accounting, bookkepping

3,600 sq ft
prisoner's waiting room
600 sq ft
public entrance
public waiting room complaint counter
traffic violations bureau chief's office conference room
1,000 sq ft
traffic reporting counter 640 sq ft 450 sq ft storage room
900 sq ft
3,000 sq ft

isolation cells 3,200 sq ft (40 cells)

captain's indetification & booking & searching room
records office
640 sq ft
group cells (cell block) 2,400 sq ft (20 cells)
1,200 sq ft

public restrooms roll call/ assembly room

480 sq ft assistant chief's office 3,600 sq ft
telephone
switchboard 340 sq ft classrooms
250 sq ft
3,000 sq ft

telephone recieving center

radio recieving & dispatch center
700 sq ft

library
chief's 300 sq ft
secratary's
office
160 sq ft
public entrance detainee toilet & showers
public waiting room
central records maintenance 1,000 sq ft
1,000 sq ft
traffic records
personal records commissioner of pub safety
copying & printing center
purcahsing, accounting, bookkepping 450 sq ft

public restrooms
480 sq ft
3,600 sq ft

training
public receptionist
training director's office equip.
storage dining quarters
480 sq ft
640 sq ft kitchen
100 sq ft 1,200 sq ft stolen property room
2,100 sq ft
1,900 sq ft
food storage
300 sq ft
complaint counter
traffic violations bureau
traffic reporting counter

3,000 sq ft

drying room
480 sq ft

26
 Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010 Buscescu / Tejchman

public

firearms range
captain's indetification & prisoner's
records office visiting room 12,000 sq ft

telephone 640 sq ft
switchboard
800 sq ft
(under groung)
250 sq ft attorney's
interrogation
room
160 sq ft

telephone recieving center

radio recieving & dispatch center courtroom
jail supervisor's room
public receptionist 700 sq ft 900 sq ft
480 sq ft 1,200 sq ft

interrogation room
660 sq ft

public entrance
public waiting room complaint counter

public
traffic violations bureau chief's office conference room
1,000 sq ft
traffic reporting counter 640 sq ft 450 sq ft storage room
900 sq ft
3,000 sq ft

public restrooms roll call/ assembly room

480 sq ft assistant chief's office 3,600 sq ft
340 sq ft classrooms
3,000 sq ft

library
chief's 300 sq ft
secratary's
office
160 sq ft

central records maintenance

traffic records
personal records commissioner of pub safety
copying & printing center
purcahsing, accounting, bookkepping 450 sq ft

3,600 sq ft

training
training director's office equip.
storage dining quarters
640 sq ft kitchen
100 sq ft 1,200 sq ft
2,100 sq ft

food storage
300 sq ft

drying room
480 sq ft

police
(admin)

27
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

drunkometer & chemical analysis

840 sq ft
photographing dark room fingerprinting room

line up room & medical examination room 700 sq ft

700 sq ft
identification records 600 sq ft
storage
300 sq ft 500 sq ft

drive-in-escape proof garage

1,250 sq ft

prisoner's waiting room

600 sq ft police
(secure)

isolation cells 3,200 sq ft (40 cells)

booking & searching room
group cells (cell block) 2,400 sq ft (20 cells)
1,200 sq ft

detainee toilet & showers

1,000 sq ft

police
(secure)
stolen property room
1,900 sq ft

total area: 49,280 sq ft.

officers: 500
(aprox. 100 sq ft. per person)

28
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010 Buscescu / Tejchman

levels of security &circulation

public
public & police
police
29
The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

30
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010 Buscescu / Tejchman

prisoner

holding cell holding cell

booking
mugging printing &
processing

drunk tank
police admin.

medical exam/ holding cell

clean up
visitor prision secure prison
visitor waiting

attorny prision
The diagram above is a zoomed in view of how
the program zone of a detainee should work.
visitor police The idea is that there should be no contact with
a detainee and the public, unless it in a con-
troled and secured visiting room. Below this
diagram shows how a new system of process-
ing and sentencing can take place in a new
police station. All misdemeanors can be handle
in house within a few days of being detained.
This process will allow for more public use of
the build and save the city money. There will be
no waiting time or detainee transporting. A
detainee can be booked, processed and sen-
tenced in a shorter period of time.

crime faster process of sentencing

Petty theft
Harassment
Shoplifting penalty
Lascivious acts Probation
Traffic violations Fines
Criminal mischief Community service
Disorderly conduct detained court hearing sentenced Jail time
Perjury Counseling
Points on driver's license
Resisting arrest
Driver's license suspension or revocation
Trespassing
Assault

court room

social services

introduces new programs

Community service
Counseling
31
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

chapter_5:

-lower manhattan (exisiting nypd headquarters)

-downtown brookyln
-red hook

32
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010
lower manhattan
This site right now houses the exisiting police
headquarters of the nypd. As of right now the
site does not work with the very outdated
building that was built in 1974. This is due to
the impact of 9/11. Since 9/11 the area around
One Police Plaza has turned into a very inmi-
tating security zone. In a sense it feels like a
highly militarized zone. There are numerous
security check point within blocks of the build-
ing. Park Row which was a main thorough fair
for Manhattan has been shut down for public
vehicular use. The only public use allowed is by
riding the public bus that takes you down Park
Row. The building and the NYPD have a choke
hold on the surrounding neighbor hoods. Espe-
cially on Chinatown. The public is no longer
allowed into the building like it used to be. This
site could be optimal if it houses a well
designed building that suited both the public
33
Buscescu / Tejchman
and private on a secure and safe way. The site
already consists of number of governmental
buildings such as the city’s municipal building,
U.S. Courthouse, New York State Supreme
Court and the city’s federal prison. The com-
bonation of the governmental buildings and the
residential neighbor hoods that house the
Chatham Towers, Gatham Green Houses and
the Murray Bergtraum H.S. is a pefrect setting
for a building that can house both the private
sector of the police and the public.
The site is also located in a convenient area
that is accessable to all 5 borros. The BQE and
the Brooklyn Bridge allow for easy access to all
surrounding areas. It also allows for quick
escape if there was to be another deadly attack
on lower Manhattan.
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

red hook
Red Hook seems to be the ideal spot a police As far as the access to the site there are a
building that really fits as much public program number of choices. Straight north up Column-
into it as possible. The openess of Red Hook bia St. is the Holland Tunnel which allows quick
would allow for the design to invite a library, access straight into Manhattan. While a couple
museum or even a gym into the police station of block to the west is Henry St. which takes
to draw the public in. Red Hook lacks any of you right onto the BQE where you can access
those public programs and could benefit from all major borros. The other great opportunity of
them. There are no major city buildings in the the site is the direct access of the water. This
area. It lack a sense of cohesion and the police opens of the water ways for access to all 5
building could only enhance that. This site is borros.
located on a whole block of land surrounded by
Hallck St., Columbia St., Sigourney St. and
Otsego St. Right across the street the new Ikea
of Brooklyn sits. There are also a number of
ball fields in the surrounding blocks that house
numerous events through out the year. With the
introduction of a police station there would be a
greater sense of security in a fast growing
residential and industrial neighbor hood.
34
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010 Buscescu / Tejchman

480’

300’

additional sq ft for parking &

landscaping (security)

49,280 sq ft building footprint

200 parking spaces

35
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

brooklyn police station

red hook, brooklyn

36
Hardcore Architecure Studio 2009 / 2010 Buscescu / Tejchman

table of contents

chapter_1:

chapter_2:

chapter_3:

chapter_4:

chapter_5:
 The Brooklyn Police Headquarters / Marc Gullickson

1. Todd S. Phillips and Michael A Griebel, Building Type Basics for Justice Facilities (Hoboken,
NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003), PG. 3,11,13-29

2. Algernon D. Black, The People and the Police (New York: McGraw- Hill Book Company, 1968)
pg. 25, 37

3. Nathan Glazer and Mark Lilla, The Public Face of Architecture: Civic Culture & Public Spaces
(New York: The Free Press a Division of Macmillan, Inc., 1987) pg. 13-15

4. Joshua H. Vogel, Police Stations Planning and Specifications (Washington: Bureau of Govern-
mental Research and Services, 1954) pg. 3, 61-68

5. Joseph De Chiara and John Hancock Callender, Time-Saver Standards for Building Types:
Second Edition (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1980) pg 636-652
website

6. “AIA lecture to balance design aesthetic and security issues.” (February 9, 2000). Available
from: <http://www.allbusiness.com/operations/facilities-commercial-real-estate/451950-1.html>
(accessed 25 October 2009).

7. Barclay F. Gordon, “A firm, new edge for New York's chaotic civic district.” Architectural
Record, 156, no. 7, (November 1974): 107-112.

8. Beth Kapsuta, “Inviting the public inside, the Ontario Provincial Police Headquarters offers
openness without sacrificing security” Architectural Record, 188, no.6, (June 1998): 118-125

9. Andrea Cohen Gehring, “Police stations are undergoing major changes, moving away from a
fortress mentality to a more positive focus on civic life” Urban land, 65, no. 10, (October 2006):
114-116

9. He Shi, “NYPD ESU Hercules @34th Manhattan, NYC” (Image). Available from: Flicker <
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyshi/3055255880> (accessed 31 October 2009).

10. “Google Maps, NYC” (image). Available from: Google Maps

<http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl> (accessed 1 November 2009)