Architectural Design Thesis report in partial fulfillment for the award of degree of Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch)
Submitted by Akhilesh Gowda R V USN : 4CM18AT007
2022 - 2023
Thesis Guide Prof. Surendran Aalone
Wadiyar Centre for Architecture, Mysuru, Karnataka. 2023
I hereby declare that this thesis “ Prototype for a modern Police station ” is a bonafide work carried out by me under the guidance of Ar. Suren Aalone, Professor at Wadiyar Centre for Architecture, Mysuru. This thesis or part therefore has not been submitted previously for the Award of any Degree / Diploma or for any other purpose. The reference from various sources are duly acknowledged.
Date : 17th May, 2023.
Mysuru, Karnataka.
Certificate that this project report, “ Prototype for a modern Police station ” is the bonafide work of Akhilesh Gowda R.V with USN number 4CM18AT007 who carried out the project work under our supervision in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) by the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi.
Signature :
Prof. Shrutie Shah Principal, WCFA, Mysuru.
Signature Signature with date
Prof. Anjali C Thesis Co - Ordinator, WCFA, Mysuru.
Name : Examiner
Signature :
Prof. Surendran Aalone Thesis Guide, WCFA, Mysuru.
Signature with date :
Name : Examiner
This book is a compilation of hard work, of not just mine, but a number of people who have given me their support, love and care.
First and foremost, I thank God almighty and his holiness for showering their love and blessing on me, without which I would not be where I am today.
I am forever indebted to everyone who have played a role and guided me along the path. Amongst them, my heartfelt love and gratitude to Megashree M, my mom; Venugopal R.V, my dad; Rachana Gowda, my sister; Yasodha, my grandma and my pet dog Major, who have stayed by my side and supported, helped and cheered me throughout the process and have made sure I stay on the path and reach the finish line.
I would like to show my appreciation to Ar. Surendran Aalone, my Thesis guide, who has steered me well throughout the process. I would like to thank Ar. Brinda Sastry, Ar. Anjali C and Ar. Kiran Kumar, for their discussions and comments.
A big ‘ thank you ’ to my 2018 batchmates at WCFA, Mysuru and Wadiyar Centre for Architecture College for making the 5 years of my student life fruitful, memorable and truly meaningful.
Lastly I would like to thank Aditi M Sambrekar and Sushma Police Patil, my best friends, my supports, who have helped me greatly during the analysis, documentation and have been great critics and a competition to me who have pushed me forward to reach new heights.
Thank you all.
Why should a public government building be zoned / blocked off from the immediate context ?
Shouldn’t a public service providing buildings such as a Police station be more approachable and humanitarian ?
Aren’t these public structures suppose to house public intense interactive programs too ?
These some questions started a conversation and demanded a solution.
• The perception of the police force – police stations in India are not a healthy perception to create a safe, secure, and happy feeling in the community.
• The police manifestos incur an atmosphere that produces a sense of discomfort to the visitors who have come to seek help and the working staff themselves. The dark and scary nature of the space sends out wrong messages about the attitudes and working principles and practices of the police.
• I believe that using the architecture of the police station and the surrounding public zone can be a bridge between the people and the police in creating possibilities and potential in innovating with these unkempt facilities, to positively impact their work and the effect it has on society.
• Just redesigning the police domain won’t alone be able to refurbish confidence in the police, but well designed public interactions and a programs-oriented design approach would improve the perceptions of the public and create a more or enhance the image of the police amongst the public, promoting a more friendly, approachable relationship with the force and decrease feelings of the vulnerability of the public.
Cover page
Title page
Declarartion
Bonafide Certificate
Acknowledgement
Abstract
Table of contents
Preface
Chapter 01 : why?
1.0. Overview
1.1. Background
1.2. Hypthesis
1.3. Aim
1.4. Scope
1.5.
1.6.
1.7.
1.8.
3.0.
Chapter 02 :
how?
4.0. Design
4.1. Intent
4.2. Site
4.2.1. Police stations in Mysuru and their condition
4.2.2. Devaraja Precinct
4.2.3. Site plan
4.2.4. Site sections
4.2.5. Site analysis
4.2.6. Site regulations
4.2.7. Site stakeholders and programs around
4.3. Program
4.4. Concept
4.5. Drawings
5.0. Conclusion, Adoption and Implications
Chapter 03 : 6.0.
6.1.
6.2.
6.3.
6.4.
6.5.
6.6.
6.7.
“ Why are people afraid to go to a police station in India to place a complaint? ”
“ How can the trust factor, sense of security, and satisfaction of the police staff to the community be improved? “
“ How can public Interactions be introduced and improved, and how can it be made more community-oriented than isolated from the public? “
“ How can police stations be made more public as it is a Public Civic building? ”
“ Where the mind is full of fear ”
“ Why do public fear Polce in India? Do they really work for the public? “
“ Why is it scary / taboo for women and children to approach a police station for help? ”
“ Why is it scary for a person in distress to ask for help / approach a police station? ”
“ They give a sense of uneasiness and unapproachability ”
“ The atmosphere of the police station is not comforting or assuring ”
“ Don’t feel safe enough ”
Chapter 01
1.1. Background
The below statements and questions in the preface are some noted from reading news articles, interviews and talking to people.
These are some of my own understandings and interpretations.
• Unapproachable
• Uncomforting and unsafe
• A public service blocked off from public engagement
• Isolated and secluded
• Dark and unsympathetic
• Misbehavior and extortionist nature
• Reduce in trust level of the community
1.2. Hypothesis
The police workforce is one of the most important bodies in our country created to maintain peace, security, safety, and decorum within the communities, cities, and states. But looking at the perception formed on them creates a sense of distrust, lack of security, dissatisfaction, and fear among the communities, areas, and in domains, they are created to serve. The physical / architectural face of the Police force is the Police station and the architecture of these structures are out dated, unapproachable and have become a grey zone of a community.
1.3. Aim
To create a Prototype for a humanitarian police station that can be more oriented toward public interactions and programs, which responds to the context to create a sense of security and trust which in turn makes it more approachable, likable, identifiable, and efficient workability between the police force and the public.
Layer one :
1. To change in the image of these buildings that they already have on the community. To make a institution closer to the people.
2. The idea is to build public and institutional buildings that becomes centralities that revitalize the urban context and build a public policy for the city.
3. Currently the traditional police stations are dark, grey, closed, restricted and dangerous building. The objective is to make it architectural more cheerful, warm, open and a colorful building.
4. To include multifunctional spaces in a building with so defined program, should bring the Work of the police to citizen.
Layer two :
1. How to design a multifunctional space in a building with so defined programs.
2. Whether to make the structure transparent or transparecy.
3. To make public programs as transparent as possible and some private functions of the police station opaque.
1. To understand the need, role, and importance of a police station in the city.
2. To learn ways to create a connection between the public and the police force.
3. To learn about the workspace atmosphere and how it has an impact on the output of how it is being portrayed to the public.
4. How the introduction of public programs in the structure allow for interactions to take place and improve the image.
1. To interview police staff (on duty and retired ) and people and their experiences.
2. Understanding how a police station works through observations.
3. Mapping of police stations and its relation with its context.
4. Photo documentation wherever needed.
5. Surveys to understand the general image.
6. Published research and book references.
1. There are Government published guidelines to be followed.
2. Some areas of the stations can not be documented because of security reasons.
3. Any internal problems in the administration and the jurisdictional working of the station.
4. Personal behavior and work methodologies and ethics of the individual.
1. How can police stations be approachable, transparent, and workable for/ with a commoner?
2. How can public Interactions be introduced and improved, and how can it be made more community-oriented than isolated from the public?
3. How can the trust factor, sense of security, and satisfaction of the police staff to the community be improved?
4. How can police stations be made more public as it is a Public Civic building?
1. Why is it scary for a person in distress to ask for help / approach a police station?
2. Is it the behavioral aspect involved?
3. Is it the atmosphere around the station?
4. Is it the station space itself?
5. Can it be lively / open / approachable enough?
6. Can it be used not only in the situation of stress?
7. Can it hold more functions?
8. Can it improve the sense of security of the city as a whole?
9. Should it be a physical station or a virtual one?
The breakdown of the term ‘ Civic services ‘ means the services which cater to the city. Also know as public utility services or institutions. Civic services would include all livelihood related services, communication and transport related services. fire prevention services, security services, health improvement services, justice related services, etc. which ensure the overall stable functioning in a society. These services make the human life more comfortable and safer. With the Government of the at the apex position, civic services bodies should work alongside eachother and the community to ensure the overall smooth living and safety of the society. By definition these are supposed to foster strong local, regional and national identity as well as provide public services and have a positive impact on the neighbourhood, community and society.
It is hence established that their primary use is to function for the betterment of people. And that the efficient functioning of public services have a direct and important bearing on the daily life of a citizen. Lack of transparency, non – performance, corruption or strong disconnect to the society most often are the major causes of failure of the services triggering a negative impact on a common man, and the society at large.
Civic Building means buildings and facilities owned and maintained by a public or semi-public agency, excluding religious institutions, which are used primarily for public gatherings for the purpose of promoting public education, knowledge and welfare; or a building designed used, or intended to be used by a government department, or the Council, as offices or for administrative, recreational or other like purposes.
Apart from the impact created by the work output of the functions in these buildings, the architecture, the appearance and the public interactions around and within it plays an important role subconsciously in people’s mind and a sigma or a perspective is created. It would have an impact on the people working and providing their service to the city as well as the citizen who would be utilising these services. So the architectural element of these civic structure plays an important in the community to provide a better interaction and perception between the user groups and the Government at the larger scale.
Civic architecture eventually even becomes the face of the city, and of the function it caters. A approachable and a humanitarian looking Government buildings speaks good about the Government in the larger scale and in turn the city in a smaller scale. It becomes the identity and centralities for a city and sets a language for a public building in the future. It adds to the city scape highlighting the importance of the legislative and judicial system respectively.
Architects possess a unique skill set essential to becoming successful participants and influencers in the community. Community planning and development is another area where architects can play an essential role in making a significant contribution to the quality of the community and its institutions that is the civic buildings of the community. Giving the opportunity to design these structures based on a set of guidelines from the Government to the architects would create community oriented structures instead of isolated buildings seen in current scenario around the country. By delivering design insight in assessing the program requirements and facility development, the contribution we as architects would make will have positive impacts on the future of these organizations and on the country as a whole.
2.3. Police stations
Police Stations are basic units for organisation of Police Departments in India. Police Stations in India are analogous to similar Police units in all parts of the modern world and are seen as essential to providing a range of investigative and preventive services to the people. Under the Criminal Procedure Code, citizens seeking assistance of the Police have to approach Police Stations. Police Stations are legally not merely the first point of contact between citizens and the Police, but may in practical terms be the only police institution that they can have access to.
So, if people are unable or unwilling to approach these basic organizational units due to the stigma and the perspective already created of the police staff or the services rendered by the Police Stations are not in accordance with the law and public expectations then policing suffers in a very fundamental way. That Police Stations in India are critical to delivery of police service and they are not meeting legal and community requirements are widely known for almost a century and half now (may be known since 1830s), discussed by generations of police officers and policy makers and there exists almost a consensus that the inadequacies of Police Stations have to be ‘fixed’, if citizens are to be delivered better policing.
From time-to-time attempts have been made to improve functioning of Police Stations. Some of the usual methods have been
1. Use of normal command and control mechanism like visiting police stations frequently, collecting feedback from stakeholders, thorough inspection of Police Station records, disciplinary action against errant officers and personnel etc to try and ‘reign in’ the Station House Officer and the staff and keep them under better supervision and control.
2. Improve human and material resources at the Police Station.
3. Use community policing interventions to improve community interface.
4. Better use of Technology.
Despite various improvements the fundamental problem of malfunctioning Police Stations ails the Indian system. There have been severe problems in institutionalising changes and scale them up to a level when quality of performance of the Police Stations can be assured at a macro level. The same complaints continue to persist.
In India, today, many police station buildings are not suitable as far as optimum functional requirement is concerned. There is a need to provide functional spaces as well as public spaces with public programs as per the immediate context in various scales for smooth working of police personnel and the surrounding stakeholders and public groups. The police station buildings are public places, where people visit in distress, expecting the police to help them. They find the police station buildings’ ambience
wise pathetic, space wise inadequate and cleanliness wise extremely poor. While there is a requirement to refurbish and to augment the existing police stations, it is also important that all the new police station buildings which are being constructed should be so designed that people feel at ease and comfortable in terms of space, cleanliness, functionality and privacy and the Police personnel can perform their duties smoothly.
There is a general perception that police do not behave properly towards complainants, witnesses and victims of crime. A police officer is expected to be by training and policy a professional, who is able to transcend social biases of caste, religion and gender. But, police response to most people approaching for service is perceived to be inadequate, insensitive, biased and delayed. Ordinary citizens often find it difficult to get cases registered.
Such is the legacy and image of the police that average people avoid approaching Police stations unless the circumstances are compelling. This fear and lack of trust drives people to seeking alternative remedy to grievances that should be legally in the domain of the police to resolve. Police is an important institution of governance and therefore such lack of trust on such a basic institution of governance has significant implications for legitimacy of the state.
The below are the guidelines given by the Bureau of Police Research and Development and the Government, which show that just reception space and disable friendly toilets are not enough to make it more public-friendly and approachable. The programs given by the Government are closed off to the public and designing such buildings are usually given to PWD , Private contractors where cost, form and duration of construction are given importance whereas architecture, design, public image and interactions are completely negated.
The formwork / guidelines given by the Government for a public building that is a Police station is created in such a manner that there is no element of Architectural intervene and no psychology of the citizen involved.
The plans given also follows the basic principles such as symmetry, axis, spaces around a courtyard which is not enough for a interactive public space.
As the table and the drawings show, the programs and the design of the whole structures is completely isolated from the surrounding context, the stakeholders, the public buildings, the public user group and their interactions with each other. The whole design of this type Police station is done in a manner where it is a monolith, mono use or a mono function mass on any given site. Only people with work regarding the Police are allowed to enter the structure even though it is a public Government building. Basically these kind of designs are strict or made to follow standard guidelines which can give rise to unapproacable, mono use and dull spaces. By following these guidelines these buildings can be put in any context, without responding to any external factors or aspects.
So as a student of architecture my thesis focuses on how to create a prototype for a Police station by following the guidelines and programs given by the Government as well as adding some extra programs and responding to the immediate context, stakeholders and the community on a meso scale.
‘ Public realm is defined as any publicly owned streets, pathways, right of ways, parks, publicly accessible open spaces and any public and civic building and facilities. The quality of our public realm is vital if we are to be successful in creating environments that people want to live and work in. ’
Public spaces are an important asset to our cities. They provide people many opportunities to come together and engage with the community. If public spaces are successful, they are inclusive of the diversity of groups, various user groups and communities present in our cities and create a social space for everyone in the society to participate in. Without public space, our society will shift into a polarized, privatized arena, dividing society into smaller target groups and segregating people along socioeconomic classes.
Public spaces are arenas for encountering difference, where we can learn to understand and tolerate the other, as well as participate and view the everyday life, providing us with a picture of what makes up our society. Combining these spaces with Government administrative buildings which are already public spaces by defination and adding more public programs and programs required by the immediate context and stakeholders makes it more public and inviting. These spaces become the centralities of a city ans sets a image for the presnt and the future. These places provide opportunities for social interaction, social mixing and social inclusion, and can facilitate the development of community ties.
Police staff
Second major user group
( The main and majority work force of the structure. )
Specific Public
( with work related to police station )
General Public
Major user group
( with no work related to police station )
This section is a basic brief to the policing system in India. This allows us to understand the working and the various aspects involved in policing of the country. It also helps us in understanding the psychological aspects as well as the functioning of a police station and where we, as architects, can intervene and improve the current scenario and perception.
The police is a state subject and its organisation and working are governed by rules and regulations framed by the state governments. These rules and regulations are outlined in the Police Manuals of the state police forces. Each State/Union Territory has its separate police force. Despite the diversity of police forces, there is a good deal that is common amongst them. This is due to four main reasons :
1. The structure and working of the State Police Forces are governed by the Police Act of 1861, which is applicable in most parts of the country, or by the State Police Acts modeled mostly on the 1861 legislation.
2. Major criminal laws, like the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Indian Evidence Act etc are uniformly applicable to almost all parts of the country.
3. The Indian Police Service (IPS) is an All India Service, which is recruited, trained and managed by the Central Government and which provides the bulk of senior officers to the State Police Forces.
4. The quasi-federal character of the Indian polity, with specific provisions in the Constitution, allows a coordinating and counseling role for the Centre in police matters and even authorizes it to set up certain central police organisations.
States are divided territorially into administrative units known as districts. An officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police heads the district police force. A group of districts form a range, which is looked after by an officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police. Some states have zones comprising two or more ranges, under the charge of an officer of the rank of an Inspector General of Police.
Every district is divided into subdivisions. A sub-division is under the charge of an officer of the rank of ASP/ Dy.S.P. Every sub-division is further divided into a number of police stations, depending on its area, population and volume of crime. Between the police station and the subdivision, there are police circles in some states - each circle headed generally by an Inspector of Police.
The police station is the basic unit of police administration in a district. Under the Criminal Procedure Code, all crime has to be recorded at the police station and all preventive, investigative and law and order work is done from there. A police station is divided into a number of beats, which are assigned to constables for patrolling, surveillance, collection of intelligence etc. The officer in charge of a police station is an Inspector of Police, particularly in cities and metropolitan areas. Even in other places, the bigger police stations, in terms of area, population, crime or law and order problems, are placed under the charge of an Inspector of Police. In rural areas or smaller police stations, the officer in charge is usually a Sub-Inspector of Police.
State Zone Range
Office held by DGP.
District Office held by Superintendent of Police.
Office held by Superintendent of ASP or Dy.SP.
Circle / Precinct
Police station
Basic unit of administration.
Office held by Inspector or Sub Inspector.
A police officer is required to wear his name tag with his uniform. His rank can be recognised by the badges he wears. The badges of ranks are shown below :
Director General of Police
Crossed Sword, Baton and State Emblem
Inspector General of Police
Crossed Sword, Baton and One Star
Deputy Inspector General of Police
State Emblem and Three Stars
Senior Superintendent of Police (Selection Grade)
State Emblem and Two Stars
Superintendent of Police
State Emblem and One Star
Additional Superintendent of Police
State Emblem
Assistant/Deputy
Superintendent of Police
Three Stars
Inspector
Three Stars and a Ribbon ½” in width, half red and half blue worn horizontally
Sub Inspector
Two Stars and a Ribbon ½” in width, half red and half blue worn horizontally
Assistant Sub Inspector
One Star and a Ribbon ½” in width, half red and half blue worn horizontally
Head Constable
Three Stripes on the upper part of the arm sleeve
The Police Act of 1861 laid down the following duties for the police officers :
1. Obey and execute all orders and warrants lawfully issued by any competent authority;
2. Collect and communicate intelligence affecting the public peace;
3. Prevent commission of offences and public nuisances;
4. Detect and bring offenders to justice; and
5. Apprehend all persons whom he / she is legally authorized to apprehend and for whose apprehension sufficient ground exists.
The NPC’s Model Police Bill prescribes the following duties to the police officers :
1. Promote and preserve public order;
2. Investigate crimes, apprehend the offenders where appropriate and participate in subsequent legal proceedings connected therewith;
3. Identify problems and situations that are likely to result in commission of crimes;
4. Reduce the opportunities for the commission of crimes through preventive patrol and other prescribed police measures;
5. Aid and co-operate with other relevant agencies in implementing the prescribed measures for prevention of crimes;
6. Aid individuals who are in danger of physical harm;
7. Create and maintain a feeling of security in the community;
8. Facilitate orderly movement of people and vehicles;
9. Counsel and resolve conflicts and promote amity;
10. Provide necessary services and afford relief to people in distress situations;
11. Collect intelligence relating to matters affecting public peace and crimes in general including social and economic offences, national integrity and security; and
12. Perform such other duties as may be enjoined on them by law for the time being in force.
1. The police must bear faithful allegiance to the Constitution of India and respect and uphold the rights of the citizens as guaranteed by it.
2. The police should not question the propriety of necessity of any law duly enacted. They should enforce the law firmly and impartially without fear or favor, malice or vindictiveness.
3. The police should recognize and respect the limitations of their powers and functions. They should not usurp or even seem to usurp the functions of the judiciary and sit in judgement on cases to avenge individuals and punish the guilty.
4. In securing the observance of law or in maintaining order, the police should as far as practicable, use the methods of persuasion, advice and warning.
5. When the application of force becomes inevitable, only the irreducible minimum of force required in the circumstances should be used.
6. The prime duty of the police is to prevent crime and disorder and the police must recognize that the test of their efficiency is the absence of both and not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with them.
7. The police must recognize that they are members of the public, with the only difference that in the interest of the society and on its behalf they are employed to give full time attention to duties which are normally incumbent on every citizen to perform.
8. The police should realize that the efficient performance of their duties will be dependent on the extent of ready cooperation that they receive from the public. This, in turn, will depend on their ability to secure public approval of their conduct and actions and to earn and retain public respect and confidence.
9. The police should always keep the welfare of the people in mind and be sympathetic and considerate towards them. They should always be ready to offer individual service and friendship and render necessary assistance to all without regard to their wealth and/or social standing.
10. The police should always place duty before self, should maintain calm in the face of danger, scorn or ridicule and should be ready to sacrifice their lives in protecting those of others.
11. The police should always be courteous and well mannered; they should be dependable and impartial; they should possess dignity and courage; and should cultivate character and the trust of the people.
12. Integrity of the highest order is the fundamental basis of the prestige of the police. Recognizing this, the police must keep their private lives scrupulously clean, develop self-restraint and be truthful and honest in thought and deed, in both personal and official life, so that the public may regard them as exemplary citizens.
13. The police should recognize that their full utility to the state is best ensured only by maintaining a high standard of discipline, faithful performance of duties in accordance with law and implicit obedience to the lawful directions of commanding ranks and absolute loyalty to the force and by keeping themselves in the state of constant training and preparedness.
14. As members of a secular, democratic state the police should strive continually to rise above personal prejudices and promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of india transcending religious, linguistic and
Note
Note
A stigma or a perception is already created in the society where if someone sees someone approaching a police station, it is usually considered as a bad or a grey approach. This has made the people even more scared to seek help from the authority in very distressed situations. Now this can be based on either the overall behaviour of the police towards the general publIc or the architecture of the police station where it is completely closed off to other general public user group who have no visual connect inside the police station. So there is no aspect of social surveillance happening in the police station so the police staff can misbehave or mistreat to the person who is seeking help.
The below steps / pprocedure shows what a common man in distress has to go through. Procedure of criminal justice :
Step 1 : Registration of the First Information Report ( FIR ).
Step 2 : The police officer proceeds to the scene of crime and investigates the facts of the case.
Step 3 : After the completion of investigation, the officer in charge of the police station sends a report to the local area magistrate.
Step 4 : On receiving the charge sheet, the court takes cognizance and initiates the trial of the case.
Step 5 : The charges are framed. A trial is started is a court of Law.
Step 6 : Verdict.
3.2. Specific Public user group
The person who is approaching a police station, who is already in distress and discomfort, looking at the police station , the aesthetic of the police station which is already grey, dark and unapproachable adds on to the psychological stress of the common man and an image or a stigma is created where they think that going to a police station is not going to help them and they rather not seek any help from the authority.
In the 1970s, the Bureau of police research and development was set up by the Government under the Ministry of Home Affairs to take up modernisation of police forces by identifying their needs and programs, this resulted in a huge investment going into modern crime fighting tools like motorised patrolling, quick response to calls and reactive investigation. This however majorly lacked and ignored the aspects of crime prevention at its roots / source.
A special officer for community policing and outreach suggests that police should take on patrolling on cycles to both maintain a closer connect with the society and the community, to keep them well aware of the problems in their area including the state of the roads, traffic conditions, etc,. and which would alongside assist in maintaining their fitness and mental health. Community policing has today become a trend being used in most of the cities abroad but in India, Bangalore has become one of the first major cities in India to adopt the concept of community policing at large.
India, and its lifestyle can be considered as majorly extroverted in comparison to the world. In a country like India, police and public relations should be more open in contrast to the present scenario, community policing can be easily established here which in turn would change the current stigma and perception of the public on the police and would create a healthy relationship between the two user groups, which would in turn create a better sense of community and togetherness.
Now looking at the various points mentioned in the previous paragraphs and studies, it can be observed that there is a disconnect between the police and the public. This can be due to various reasons based on behaviour aspect. based on the design of the police station, based on the communication between the police and the public, etc,.
It can be considered that a section of societies distrust showed in them is also owning to a disconnect which people bear with them, where on basis of an incident or simply an externally heard and carried forth ideology, an image and perception on them has been prepared. A more open and formal relation with police has proven to better policing as a whole.
So creating a better environment, atmosphere, space for this interactions to take place becomes very critical because it detects the procedure and solution, and ultimately the outcome and the value. This highlights the need of an intervention to bridge this gap between citizens and the police by using concepts such as community policing and social surveillance.
This zone of interaction is very important to create a better image and bridge the gap between the Police and the People.
The basic intent of this thesis is to create a prototype for a new modern police station with a set of fixed programs of the police station mandated by the Government guidelines, a set of fixed programs for a public building to function as a public space and a set of programs which is derived / required by the context which is required for the community to provide a better public realm for the urban fabric. A set of three programs list have been created based on the scale of the city, required type of a police station for the precinct / zone that is the programs of a police station, a set of programs required for a public building to perform as a public space and a set pf programs responding to the site and its immediate context.
By making a scheme of these three program lists, a truly public police station can be designed where, the police station or policing happens at a secure space with the concept of social surveillance in place and there are set of public functions that are happening alongside the police station which becomes a base for the interaction between the general public and the police staff which would in turn change the current stigma or the image of the police and create a better relationship between them.
4.2. Site
Some police stations in Mysuru were visited and were tried to document but because of the election time documentation or taking photos inside the police station was not allowed due to security reasons. Documentation of the outside unbuilt zone, the entrance, the façade and the parking lot of the police station has been done. As you can see in the images, the buildings are constructed as a single mass and there’s no response to the site, public program or the community on a larger scale. It is basically a same template which is followed throughout all police stations in Mysuru and throughout India.
While studying on the precincts of policing in Mysuru, Devaraja precinct was selected because it is at the center of the city, a lot of major public zones, buildings and public footfall.
Site 01 - Old Building
Old colonial structure was in use for a long time in a side narrow road next to a hospital.
Pros -
1. Good connectivity to hospital and the main KR market.
Cons -
1. Smaller site.
2. Narrow connective roads.
3. Hidden from public busy zones.
4. Single entry access.
Site 02 - Newly constructed building
Newly constructed structure, combined with Devaraja Traffic station.
Pros -
1. Good location.
2. Close to the main Devaraja Urs main road.
3. Wider roads.
4. Larger site.
Cons -
5. A generic standard design and layout.
6. Close to institutional buildings.
7. Hidden from public busy zones.
8. The building looks rigid.
Site 03 was chosen because of the proximty to the major public spaces and public transportation hubs of the city which would in turn produce a lot of footfall for the public program.
This precinct has many major public buildings of Mysuru such as Mysore palace, K.R market, Devaraj Urs road, Chikka Gadiyara, Ashoka road, Garuda mall, main city bus stand, Sayyaji Rao road, and many important nodes and main roads of Mysuru city.
Main roadSayyaji Road
Devaraja Market
Chikka Gadiyara
Olympia Theatre
Makkaji Chowk Complex
Sri Subramanya
Swami Temple
Site
Garuda Mall parking
Node KR Circle
Node
Garuda Mall
Mysuru Town Hall
OAT
Main Road - Albert Victor Road
Mysuru city Bus Station
4.2.3. Site plan of Site 03
Built and un built - Shows how dense the surround contact of the site is.
Land use map Shows that the site is like a transitional zone between the dense commercial and residential zone and the public zone.
Heritage and historic structures - Shows how site is located at the center surrounded by major public heritage structures.
Public amenities - Shows bus stops, public toilets and public spaces squares.
Nodal patterns - Shows that there are multiple major and important nodes around the site which becomes the connecting zone for the city.
Important streets - Shows are major important streets of Mysuru which are in very close proximity to the site and how they bring heavy footfall.
This site is loacted in the Historic and Commercial core of Mysuru located within the inner ring road. In the central business district and the commercial zone.
Permissible land uses
1. Main land use category C4
2. Other land uses permissible ( as main land use ) R,I3,T3 and U4
3. Parks, playgrounds and open spaces.
Notes
1. Setbacks need not be insisted except on the front side up to a plot area of 150 sq m. And for plots ranging between 150sqm to 500sqm, no side setbacks shall be insisted. In all other cases setbacks shall be in accordance with Table 02 depending on the height of the proposed building and the plot size and table 5.5.
2. If the road width is less than 9.0 m, then the maximum height is restricted to 11.5 meters.
There are three set of programs as mentioned before, one set being the police station programs given by the Government, the second set would be the set of public programs which is required for a public building to function and the third set would be the site or context required functions.
The set of programs together create a prototype for future design of modern public police stations in India where these programs can vary based on the scale of the project as well as the site of the project.
30%
Public programs
30%
60% in total Site required public programs
40%
Police station programs
This overlap of shared recreational programs between the Police and the Public would create interactions which helps in improving the current image.
• The above set of programs are Government mandated which are compulsory requirement for a police station to operate.
• There are various grades of police station programs and areas based on the location. Which were Metro city, Major city, Semi-urban and Rural categories.
• Adding all these programs, the total built up area of the structure comes around 7000 sq.metre.
• Some programs from the government mandated requirement can be taken and be used as a public program where the user groups: police staff and the general public can merge.
• Now these programs added to the site required program create an institution or a centrality of public function which makes a public plaza for the city.
• The above programs are site programs or the programs required by the context and its user groups for a public structure.
• There some community based programs such as offices for community care, community classrooms, etc.; shared programs between police staff and public such as canteen, day care, etc.; and some public and site required programs such as parking lots, open air auditoriums, public toilets, recreational space. etc.
Private programs of a Police station
Public programs of a Police station
Contextual programs Programs needed for the community A bridge between the private and secure programs, and the public interacting programs where the whole structure has a TRANSPARENT element which enables the public to look into the structure but without any disturbance.
• The above two illustrations show that private and public programs in both section and in a plan and how overlapped public programs can be introduced which is used by both the police staff and the public as transitional spaces which would allow the interaction between the two user groups to happen without interfering with their own individual work.
• The below illustration shows how the design has been arrived in such a manner that there are two zones of public and semi public function being produced, one is an open court and the second one below the police station itself. This segregates the two public user groups that is the general public group and the specific public group. The open court has programs which would allow the interaction between the police and the general public.
The next set of drawings convey the final design of the thesis project in plans, sections, views and details.
• Parking for public use.
• OAT connects to this level.
• The sides act as the market spaces for the existing stall and vendors.
• Haves a Police lobby and drop for officials with a private parking for police station.
• Has the public plaza at the entrance facing the Sayyaji Rao main road.
• Has a public seminar hall where public seminars and police related seminars can take place.
• Community classrooms and offices are provided to increase the involvement of the community.
Jail Jail Storage Interrogation room
+7800mm
+7950mm
+6900mm
TV room Workstations Reception/ waitingroom
Figure 58
The police is semi cantilevering towards the Sayyaji Rao road. A large reception, waiting area and Women and children help center has been provided.
The back part houses the programs of a police station. There is clear visual connect between the first floor open court and the police station.
Open court
• This houses the more private and secure programs of the police station like armory, SHO’s office, living barracks.
• This level is separated by the public zone using height differences and movement pattern.
Has green vegetation slab over the police station to maintain a cool temperature inside.
KR
Police station block
A series of steps and small pockets of spaces with seating and vegetation facing the street and Chikka Gadiyara becomes public plaza from the passing by people to rest and enjoy the urban context.
The police station mass is cantilevered over the public plaza which provides shade and shows a sense of strength and solidarity.
Police Station
By elevating the Police Station and creating common shared entry point for both, the Police staff and the Public user group, interaction happens and the stigma over this relationship or image is reduced. This cantilevered mass overlooks the Chikka Gadiyara square, Sayyaji Rao road and the KR circle. And the police mass can be surveillanced from street level by the people passing by.
Public OAT
public OAT is provided for the complex at can used for public announcements and programs. It also adds value for the temple right next to the site. This OAT becomes common recreational space for Garuda Malla and the temple complex.
The police station also has commanding view of the city line and the street view. +4200mm
Green slab
grow.
Police station itself has plays of volumes and light which tries to enliven the police staff and the public who are seeking help. The corridor around the station provides great views of the complex and connects the various levels to on and another visually. 500mm
Recreational spaces
staircase next to the ramp connects the first recreational floor of the temple and Garuda mall. This large open elevated area with a canteen can be used for
+7800mm
Seminar hall
Police Station parking
Vehicular parking
Section 01
Akhilesh Gowda R V 4CM18AT007.
dimension
are
Section 02
By proposing a prototype for a modern police station with various public programs included would create a new typology of a Government building where previously private building now has become a public centered building with public programs and interactions.
This would change the existing stigma and perception about the police station and the police force. By allowing these public programs to partially overlap with the public programs of the police station, the public and the police staff would start a dialogue or a conversation between them which would create better relationship between them and create a sense of stronger community
By analyzing the required programs for the site where the police station is proposed, this will create a space within the larger complex which gives back to the site in manner of programs and functions. This makes the complex more public and more busy.
The Government can come up with the new set of guidelines for Government buildings where a certain percentage of programs are given to the site, stakeholders and the public in the larger scale. This would create or more engaging public centered Government buildings where people can come gather to use the space even though they have no official work related to the building.
By doing this, a lot of new public oriented spaces would be created in a dense urban city where there is a desperate need for a pause point or a recreational space.
Introduction :
• Here, the architect has designed a Police station with the community and the public programs in focus such as auditorium for 50 people, restaurants, gym and etc.
• The basement is a private zone with security parking and lockups.
• The ground floor is a public zone and caters to public engaging programs.
• The last two floors i.e. the first and the second floor becomes private use for programs such as barracks, official chambers and offices, storage and etc,.
• Along with said programs, landscaping as been given importance with sidewalks, open plazas, parks, football court, etc., which become a central equipment for the community.
Inference :
• Making a public building an icon in the city provides future similar design expansion. “Public buildings should be an ICON in the community“ was the statement being followed.
• Here Architecture is creating a platform for the state and citizens to have different spaces for culture, citizenship, and recreation.
• Zoning programs in such a manner that they work together without disturbing / disrupting each other.
• Creating a fun and colorful landmark and breaking the old image of the typical police station.
Introduction :
• The building is setback from the property line so it forms a free public urban space that allows pedestrian access. This gives continuity to the city and promotes the reconciliation of the citizen to the public building, which is traditionally considered a closed and hermetic place.
• The building is trying to become a landmark in the city so it tries to change the relationship between a state-owned building and the community through layers of transparency.
• A thin aluminium screen / film is used as a façade were during the day it reflects of light and during the night becomes a sort of a lantern in the night where the public can see through the functions happening inside the building.
• Inside, all the work areas are organized around an empty space, a large fullheight interior patio that sets up the dialogue between the private area and public spaces. The unifying element of the project is the light that comes through skylights in the atrium. This space, combined with the use of glass in the work units, gives the interior a panopticon character both horizontally and vertically.
Inference :
• Even though there is no public programs happening inside the building, the set backs and the open spaces are designed in a such manner that they become the urban public open spaces where the community can have its own functions without interfering with the policing programs.
• The façade treatment shows how transparency is created and visual connect is maintained in the structure through out the day.
• Thus creating a visual overlap between the public and the police without any disturbance / disruption in the individual program.
• And the interior programs are arranged in such a manner that each internal program are transparent and visual interconnected with each other.
Introduction :
• Here, similar zoning to the previous case studies.
• With the addition of a multipurpose space, the architect was able to bring the work of the police to citizen and converting the facility into a magnet for the local people on which, in some way, could begin to turn the social life of the neighborhood.
• The ground floor is shared between the versatile space for the neighborhood and restricted use for the Police building. In the basement, lit by a courtyard, we placed the locker rooms, the briefing room and a large warehouse.
• The upper floors are again private zones with restricted programs.
Inference :
• Using the concept of transparency and overlapping of some functions, a shared space used by the community and the police force was created within the envelope of the larger private and secure program.
• Creating a structure which with see through or transparent façade creates a sense of security during the night where the public can see the work happening which thus makes the surrounding more active and lively.
• And the multipurpose space provides a greater flexibility for the building and the community.
Introduction :
• It is a mixed use parking lot which was designed with multiple public programs in such a manner that now it has become a function heavy interactive public space which has banquet halls, restaurants and apartments too.
• The main idea was to break the existing typical image of a parking space which is usually mono use, dark, unsafe and a dead / inactive space.
• Having public round out the clock programs and functions keep the structure very active and helps in changing the existing pervious mental image of a parking complex.
Inference :
• Here the public building is made a landmark in the context which breaks down the old image of the parking complex.
• Having multiple public functions such has shopping retail stores, restaurants, banquet halls, and luxury apartments, the architect has used the external views which would go waste in a typical parking lot.
• Creating such robust and brutalist structure ensures it needs low to none maintenance and becomes a long lasting public structure.
• Importance in given to the scale, volume and natural lighting of the space which helps is creating a more lively multi use public structure instead of a mono use dull and grey parking lot.
• The architect wanted to create a social gathering space and a public space instead of a typical parking garage.
• “To want to go to a parking garage, versus wanting to exit it as soon as possible becomes a new paradigm,” the architect states was the main idea and drive behind the project.
Introduction :
• A failed housing project which showed segregation, racism, and financial instability can become a major cause of criminal activity and creating an unsafe community within the city.
• This was designed in such a manner that it only had a mono use function i.e. the housing for the middle to lower class and a bit isolated from the city centre.
• This lead to development of criminal activities, which led to tenants moving, which lead to low to no maintenance, which lead to increase in crime.
• The architecture of the structure too was in such manner that it was floor on floor sandwich with no importance given to natural lighting and ventilation.
Inference :
• Was the poorly designed housing responsible for the failure of the project is question we need to ask.
Introduction :
• Penal Architecture – The style of architecture where there is tower at the centre of a large open circular space like a courtyard and multiple programs / cabins are placed in the perimeter with a glass / visible partition. This type of architecture was followed in jail and prisons, now being debated whether its ethical or unethical.
• Panopticon - This is actually a proposal for a office structure where the manager or the boss sits at the centre of the structure and the employees are placed around him in such a manner that he/she can see the employees working.
Inference :
• Studying Penal architecture and Panopticon because I find it interesting how people behave when someone is looking at them and when someone is not.
• Does this behavior apply is a public space too?
01. The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs :
Overview
• This is a book written by Jane Jacobs where she talks of the functioning of cities and streets, how they function and how it can be improved.
• She also discusses about multiple urban planning policies which eventually resulted in the decline of many cities.
• Jane Jacobs writes about what makes streets safe or unsafe; about what constitutes a neighborhood, and what function it serves within the larger organism of the city.
Overview
• This book seeks to explore instances of surveillance within and around specific architectural entities, both historical and fictitious, buildings with specific social purposes and those existing in fiction, film, photography, performance and art.
• Providing new readings of, and expanding on Foucault’s work on the panopticon, these essays examine the role of surveillance via disparate fields of enquiry, such as the humanities, social sciences, technological studies, design and environmental disciplines.
03. Government literature studies :
Chapter 05
7.0. References and Bibliography :
Golembiewski, J. (2014, January 6). :
Building a better world: can architecture shape behaviour? The Conversation. http://theconversation.com/building-a-better-world-can-architecture-shapebehaviour-21541
Surveillance, Architecture and Control. (n.d.). : springerprofessional.de. https://www.springerprofessional.de/en/surveillancearchitecture-and-control/16409412
View of Review of Flynn and Mackay’s Surveillance, Architecture, and Control: Discourses on Spatial Culture. (n.d.).:
View of Review of Flynn and Mackay’s Surveillance, Architecture, and Control: Discourses on Spatial Culture. https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/surveillanceand-society/article/view/14014/9363
Evidence Based Design Journal | Home. (n.d.). :
Evidence Based Design Journal | Home. http://ebdjournal.com/
Serving the People: The Role of Public Space in Government Buildings –DCG Strategies. (2015, March 25). Serving the People: The Role of Public Space in Government Buildings – DCG Strategies. https://www.dcgstrategies.com/blog/ local-governments-agencies/serving-the-people-the-role-of-public-space-ingovernment-buildings/
Brown, P. H. (n.d.). 1.2 What is the Urban Public Realm? –
Producing the Urban Public Realm: Field Notes on Project Implementation. 1.2 What Is the Urban Public Realm? – Producing the Urban Public Realm: Field Notes on Project Implementation. https://pressbooks.umn.edu/publicrealm/chapter/1-2what-is-the-urban-public-realm/
Civic Engagement as a Practice Strategy | Practice of Architecture. : (2020, March 12). Practice of Architecture. https://practiceofarchitecture. com/2020/03/12/civic-engagement-as-a-practice-strategy/
A. (2020, June 13). Creating a Culture of Service and Civic Engagement –The Los Angeles Post. Creating a Culture of Service and Civic Engagement – the Los Angeles Post. https://lapost.us/?p=25977
Downtown West. (n.d.). KPF.
https://www.kpf.com/project/downtown-west
Surveillance, Architecture, and Control :
Veel, Kristin. Surveillance & Society; Kingston Vol. 18, Iss. 3, (2020): 438-439.
The death and life of great American cities by Jane Jacobs and Gerd Albers :
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL5820238M/The_death_and_life_of_great_ American_cities.
Police organisation in India :
https://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/publications/police/police_organisations. pdf
Data on police organization :
https://bprd.nic.in/content/62_1_DataonPoliceOrganizations.aspx
Status of policing in India report :
https://www.scribd.com/document/407550063/SPIR2018-pdf
1111 Lincoln Road / Herzog & de Meuron :
https://www.archdaily.com/59266/1111-lincoln-road-herzog-de-meuron
Pruitt Igoe Housing project in St. Louis, Missouri :
https://www.archdaily.com/870685/ad-classics-pruitt-igoe-housing-projectminoru-yamasaki-st-louis-usa-modernism
Police Station and Multipurpose Space in Xixona / Daniel Martí & Natàlia Ferrer :
https://www.archdaily.com/291895/police-station-and-multipurpose-space-inxixona-daniel-marti-arquitectos?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tabv
Belen Police Station / EDU :
https://www.archdaily.com/199997/belen-police-station-edu?ad_ source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab
Fuencarral-El Pardo Police Station / Voluar Arquitectura :
https://www.archdaily.com/255186/fuencarral-el-pardo-police-station-voluararquitectura?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab
Manual of Section, Book by David J. Lewis, Marc Tsurumaki, and Paul Lewis :
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Manual_of_Section_-_review
Police Stations- The Face of the Police by Rukaiya.L :
https://issuu.com/rukaiya.l/docs/combinepdf__1_