Security, Authority, & Power — Jonathan Windsor

Security, Authority, & Power
Fall 2018 | Tim Love Research Studio
See the full publication here.

Security devices and protocols are ubiquitous. Whether we are enduring the relative benefits of TSA Pre-check or the habitual swipe of our identity card, spatial thresholds in contemporary life are conceived to segregate people into categories based on organizational affiliation and level of perceived risk. It is within this broader context that the issue of security is explored in this publication - not simply as a technical and procedural problem, as emphasized by security consultants, the police, and public agencies - but as a way to elaborate and prolong spatial thresholds, maintain order (and control), and effect psychological states. Significantly, these are spatial and experiential design considerations that point to fundamental disciplinary questions.

This publication is a synthesis of the research, collaborative class discussions, and speculative design thinking done during the 2018 Graduate Research Studio at the Northeastern University School of Architecture. The evolving work was both enriched and clarified as a result of a series of panel discussions that included the participation of guest critics and editors.