Zack Simic

The community of Lawrence Hill can arguably be described as the ‘subaltern’, where a major lack of agency is evident. Their built environment is rife with manifestations of ill-ideologies and post-war urban design decisions which feature concrete tower blocks, vehicular superiority, and compartmentalisation of activities. This combined with many documented false arrests, violence amongst the BAME community and lack of local amenities explicitly highlights the poor relationship between state and community. When the automobile gained popularity in the early 20th century, the “bob on the beat” migrated from the street to the road, making the police significantly less approachable.

Modern developments have arguably accelerated this divergence as we enter a world of digitalised surveillance and authoritarianism (such as the new Policing Bill 26/04/22), arguably transforming the police from a role of public servant into a public oppressor. This proposal explores a new typology of the police station which integrates a communitybasedpolicing model with street level bureaucrats and public amenities.

The Polis Station