Summary
This thesis examines the social role of the police and their relationship to the city through an investigation of police architecture. It attempts to integrate the police more fully into the urban fabric and its informal social networks. Situated in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, the design project proposes a reorganization of the police institution. It modifies the existing police headquarters and introduces two building types not currently found in the city: a basic police unit and a police box. Its guidelines for police architecture include programmatic relationships, architectural elements, and site selection criteria. By developing a meaningful approach to police architecture, the project also seeks to contribute to our understanding of the current North American city.