Chicago Architecture Biennial

Polis Station

John Hill

6. Oktober 2015

Photo: John Hill/World-Architects

Flanking the grand stairs near the main entrance to the Chicago Cultural Center is Studio Gang Architects' contribution to the Chicago Architecture Biennial: Polis Station, which proposes new ways of integrating police stations into their communities.

Studio Gang's proposal is in response to what they describe as "widespread outrage and protest over recent acts of police violence in the United States." Seeing today's police stations as "little more than a jail," Polis Station explores ways of turning them "into neighborhood investments that ultimately strengthen their communities in return."

The installation in the Cultural Center consists of two parts: "An Architectural History of American Policing" on the left (top photo), displayed in the form of a complex timeline; and "Transforming Chicago's 10th District," a multi-faceted proposal for the city's far west side that includes green space, community facilities, and public housing – more than just a police station.

More information on Studio Gang's research project Polis Station can be found on the firm's website.