In architecture, normally the specific functional requirement of
a proposed structure determines the design criteria. A structure
is built to be functional and efficient in meeting the needs of
the user but at the same time, it must also protect the user
from safety hazards and criminal acts. While most of the
architectural elements are provided by the architect, in
practice however, all too frequently the important element of
security is overlooked. Factors like, aesthetics, choice of
construction materials and harmony with surroundings take
precedence over considerations of security within the structure
and in the overall design. Form rather than function gets the
focus of the architect's attention.
Throughout history, people have sought to control their physical
environment. The importance of manipulating one's environment to
prevent crimes or attack was recognised long ago. The classic
examples are the moats around castles and forts and high
surrounding walls with niches and windows that allow for
surveillance and site defense.
Security Architecture
Over the years, from this recognition of crime prevention
(through environmental design) the concept of defensible space
begin to take root in the western world. It fosters territorial
recognition through design, maximizes surveillance through
hardware, reduces crime and fear of crime and enhances safety of
adjoining areas. The efforts of the researchers since the 1960's
have resulted in a growing body of knowledge on the effects of
combined architectural and crime prevention concepts.
The basic premise of security architecture is that deterioration
in the quality of urban life can be minimized through designing
and redesigning urban environments. Thus opportunities for crime
are reduced with a corresponding reduction in the fear of crime.
In today's world, the creation of large cities, the
industrialisation of labour and the growing disparities in
income (with the consequent growth in lawlessness) in the urban
environment have lead to an interest in the concept of crime
prevention through environmental / architectural design. The
emerging approach to architectural security is a planning and
design process that integrates crime prevention with
architectural design and development.
Criminals Target Architectural Loopholes
Studies on the relationship between crime occurrence and
environment reveal that individuals motivated to crime vary
vastly in terms of their skills, strength of motivation and
resources. But poorly designed and vulnerable environment
invariably sends out compelling signals inviting the commission
of crime. The individual deciding to commit a crime does not
fail to get the cues given by the environment about its
physical, spatial and psychological characteristics, and uses
these cues to locate and identify his / her victim. This
condition is evident in structures, which present obvious spots
for assaults, mugging, break-in and crime opportunity.
Studies show that the greatest portion of street crime and
burglary is a result of opportunity rather than of careful
planning. Someone sees an 'opportunity' - in an open window, an
empty house, or a person alone in a dark lane - and acts on it.
Muggers look for likely victims, not specific individuals and
for a house they can enter (and not a particular address).
Pre-selected targets frequently are chosen precisely because
they are seen as 'easy marks'.
Eliminating Chances for Crime
Eliminating or reducing these opportunities is one way to reduce
crime. Prevention and control strategies tailored to crimes can
be used to reduce a range of criminal opportunities.
Specifically, the architectural design used in opportunity-minimising
strategies, includes:
Making (unauthorized) access to the interiors too difficult or
too time-consuming
Eliminating spots that can hide the criminal
Providing no easy escape route that can allow getting away with
stolen goods
Promoting opportunities / feasibilities for surveillance
Strengthening the differentiation of private from public places
The main crime-reducing potential of security architecture lies
in various methods of reducing opportunities. That would also
mean increasing the risk of detection and apprehension.
Importance of Security Parameters
Architects and designers generally make the basic design
decisions about access, circulation, humidity, ventilation, air
conditioning, building materials and many other features. While
doing so they also should see that these support, and not
thwart, the overall security objectives.
Designers' tendency to achieve objectives such as openness and
free-flowing movement in their design may go against the basic
tenets of security. What is of concern is the architect's
apparent reluctance / failure to include security elements in
the design of buildings from the ground up. Design ideas that
constrain and restrict access in support of security are often
seen as obtrusive and lacking in architectural value. It just
does not matter that the world they have created is increasingly
less safe to work and live!
Expensive Retrofitting
Architects generally argue that altering the physical conditions
(that provide the opportunities for criminal behaviour) at a
later stage can curb crime.. In many instances security experts
are called for to design and provide for security after the
construction is over. This is when security weaknesses begin to
manifest themselves.
But it is far too expensive to make basic structural corrections
at a later stage. This involves retrofitting, which obviously
means more expenditure, than had the building been designed for
security right from the beginning. After a building has been
constructed and put into use, the anticipated cost of physical
changes would overwhelm the anticipated benefits of crime
reduction.
Comprehensive Security
For a building to be made truly crime-resistant, security
factors must be in the architectural drawing from the beginning.
The drawings should reflect a comprehensive security perspective
taking into account the factors such as the interrelationships
between security hardware / systems and the security personnel,
the routine and exceptional activities of the users. Most
security problems arise simply because no one has thought about
them.
Because clients seldom consider security in the planning stages,
buildings provide needless opportunities for crimes. It is
important therefore on the part of the owner / builder to seek
the advice of a competent security professional before taking
security-sensitive design decisions. Without the input of an
experienced security expert, the property owner is taking a
grave risk.
Security Principles in Design If security is treated as one of the many design
requirements in architecture, then the implementation and the
costs involved will no more be an impediment. Good security
design enhances the effective use of the built-in environment
and at the same time it can lead to reduction in the incidence
and fear of crime.
The emphasis in security design falls on the design and use of
space. In this process the architects and designers can make
valuable contribution to meeting a project's security
objectives. Certain principles should always be considered in
planning any building. Without them, the structure can be
dangerously vulnerable. Architectural security seeks to achieve
these objectives by an intelligent use of the environment and by
adopting three basic strategies: access control, surveillance
and local augmentation.
Access Control: The central objectives of an access control strategy are to
deny access to a crime target or to make it too difficult or too
time consuming and to create in the mind of the criminal that an
attack would not be worth the risk. These are reflected in the
planning stage by considerations such as:
Keeping the number of perimeter and building openings to the
minimum;
Planning perimeter protection as part of the overall design;
Securing all the exterior windows less than fourteen feet above
ground level;
Protecting all points of possible access or escape that breach
the exterior of the building (such as skylights,
air-conditioning vents, sewer ducts, manholes) or any opening
larger than ninety six square inches;
Locating exterior service doors so that it leads directly into
the service area in order to restrict the non-employee traffic
in its movement.
Surveillance: A strategy based on surveillance is directed at detecting
intrusion attempts, keeping an intruder under observation and
launching response to an intrusion or an attempt at intrusion.
The surveillance strategy can take advantage of terrain features
such as landscaping, building features such as raised entrances,
organised methods such as patrolling and electronic supplements
such as closed circuit television.
Local Augmentation The main idea behind this strategy is that an individual's
sense of belonging to a place of work or of residence can be
enhanced or extended by conscious action related to a variety of
crime suppressing activities. Considerations will include
actions such as:
Protective Lighting: Installation of protective lighting in
locations such as, the perimeter areas, isolated spots,
staircases and darkened corridors. Lighting is one of the most
effective deterrents to certain types of crime, such as
vandalism, burglary and mugging.
Physical Barriers: Providing physical barriers like wall,
fencing, doors, windows, roofs and locks conforming to
prescribed security standards. The effectiveness of the material
barriers primarily depends on the amount of time they can
withstand the attack. The longer a barrier remains intact, the
greater the chances of apprehension of the offender and
prevention of the crime.
Alarming: Alarming remotely located doors and other vulnerable
access points. Alarm gives early warning and effectively deters
crime.
Local augmentation conveys the message to the would-be criminal
that any contemplated criminal action would be at great risk of
being detected.
Design Planning Whenever possible, security planning should begin during the
site selection process. Site selection is perhaps the single
most important factor in determining the relative security of a
structure. The security assessment in site planning should take
into account all related factors such as, topography,
surrounding vegetation, adjacent land use, neighbourhood profile
/ activities, areas for concealment, pedestrian and vehicular
circulation and access points for service vehicles / personnel,
employees and visitors. Site analysis is a starting point in
security defense planning.
The next security level is the perimeter or exterior of the
building. The building shell and its openings represent a
crucial line of defence against intrusion and forced entry. The
main points of entry to be considered are the windows, doors,
skylights, storm sewers, roof, floor and fire escapes and the
resistance these provide against penetration. The architect's
challenge is to provide security that is attractive and
unobtrusive, while providing effective deterrence against
unauthorised access.
Effective interaction between the architect and the security
personnel (representing client's interest) is necessary for
incorporating the security requirements in the design. Clients
cannot assume that architects will automatically include the
necessary security controls since architects' interest in design
for protection of building and the grounds is usually minimal.
In fact, most architects expect their clients to be aware of
security problems and clients are rarely competent to deal with
the problems of protective design.
We have not yet arrived at the point where the need for security
from criminal acts is as automatic a consideration as the
efficiency and profits. The extent of crime and the growing
awareness of the problem in the current context should hopefully
direct more attention that building design can play in security.
Electronic Security Systems
Devices intended to detect building intrusions and to keep
surveillance of designated areas are major elements of security
design. However, the design of an intrusion detection /
surveillance system and selection of its components should be
such as to ensure that the system is inherently stable,
defeat-resistant, durable and reliable. It should be suitable in
every respect for satisfactory, long-lasting and continuous
operation. The design should also be such that the system will
require minimum of maintenance and adjustments.
With this understanding, and if necessary, with the consulting
advice of a competent security professional, the architect can
design, specify and incorporate only such of those devices which
are appropriate and applicable in a given situation. There
should be adequate provisions for wiring of security systems in
tamper-proof conduits and also for backup and uninterruptible
power supply arrangements.
Security planning is aimed at preventing crime in the built
environment. The architect plays a key role in the shaping of
the environment and of the cues and signals that the building
sends to the users and visitors. Whether the building turns out
to be safe, secure, and comfortable is a factor of how well the
architect understands the intended uses and the security
implications.
Model Security Codes
There are building codes and established norms to ensure
electrical, plumbing and air conditioning standards, fire
prevention regulations and other such items connected with all
aspects of civil construction. But in the area of physical
security, there seems to be a conspicuous lack of not only
standards in our country, but also of even basic information
touching upon physical security aspects of the building and of
the components that comprise it. If such standards exist, no one
seems to be aware of them.
All too frequently insufficient consideration is given to
security factors before and during construction. Security
protection is too often added as an afterthought, if at all.
This was amply evident during the comprehensive security surveys
carried out by him across a wide spectrum of industrial and
commercial establishments both in the public and private
sectors. Here the lack of security standards in the buildings
and the protective barriers fail to prevent crime in the
facility and to protect the business interests.
Security Studies
Perhaps it would help enormously if the concerned agencies
initiate studies to evolve a set of model security codes
pertaining to physical security standards. Guidelines for the
use and installation of architectural entities such as doors,
locks, locking systems, key control, windows, roofs, roof
openings, and other related systems should be set. Such an
exercise should also cover things of external areas like,
perimeter walls, fences, protective lighting systems, gates,
gate houses, parking enclosures, storage areas etc. and overall
building security. It should be noted that formulation and
adoptions of security codes would call for extensive research
and laboratory testing of all relevant materials.
The objective of such codes should be to provide minimum
standards to safeguard property and public welfare. This should
be done through regulation and control of design of all new and
remodeled structures.
It is important that all concerned authorities, town planners,
public works departments, construction agencies and municipal
authorities are made aware of the importance of instituting
model security codes for residential and commercial
establishments so that crime is actually reduced rather than
displaced.
A well-defined science
The concept of architectural security is becoming world over a
well-defined science that demands attention from architects,
engineers, law enforcement authorities, town planners, builders
and private citizens all of whom should be concerned with
measures to control crime. It has also been shown by several
researchers and studies that architectural / environmental
security effectively reduces crime and the fear of crime. It is
important therefore to see that steps are taken to evolve
physical security standards and establish norms for security as
standard features of planning and architecture. The most
important factor in its effective use is to evaluate the
existing and planned structures, determine how they relate to
present and potential crime patterns and then recommend the
inclusion of design measures in cooperation with architects,
fire departments and planning agencies.
The new area of crime prevention promises to be most challenging
for the field of architecture and urban planning.
