Arches can be seen everywhere in nature, such as rainbows, dead leaves, and the caves where ancient ape-men lived. The image and uses of arches has been in human society since ancient times, being one of the most primitive building method, it’s now deeply imprinted in our culture.

Take my prison model as example, many characteristics of arches match well with required facilities of prison: airiness and stiffness; oppression and the oppressed; surveillance and the watched; death and rebirth. The court's function has a divine nature which symbolizes judgment and authority. As for the open space for general public, its made out of high arches, creating free-moving lines, and bring out a high degree of freedom.

With different functions and structure, using just arch features, they can symbolize various different meaning, to enhance and create opposite atmospheres easily.

Therefore, to show the intimidating aspect of the build, I designed it be a massive, inverted trapezoidal tower. It would shock the world with a strong presence, in order to send the warning message: committing crime holds a very serious consequence. It would be an ironic, exaggerated, metaphorically strong, multi-functional, new and complex space for the rule of law.

legal architecture

Chia Ho, Hsu

Ming Chuan University

Redefining the Earthen Fabric