supervision of Buddha

FINALIST of Archi-Hack: Panopticon

+ FINALIST

Archi-Hack: Panopticon

[6989]

supervision of Buddha

Team

Name: Seungchan Ho

Instagram: pumpkin__0516

Nationality:Korea

Institution / Company: Halla University, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea

The discontinuation of the Panopticon was due to a discrepancy in light between the outer and inner rings, which were utilized for surveillance, resulting in human rights issues for inmates.

Our design team addressed this issue by considering the possibility of individuals voluntarily submitting to surveillance upon entering the Panopticon, leading to the idea of a ‘Jeol,’ a religious architectural concept in South Korea where Buddhist monks practice their religion.

Drawing parallels with the belief that “God is all-seeing and all-knowing,” similar to the fundamental operation of the Panopticon, we structured the program around the concept of envisioning the Panopticon as a space where worshipers willingly submit themselves to surveillance.    

During prayer, the inner ring, symbolizing God’s presence, shields worshipers from incoming light, obscuring their visual presence and leaving a lasting impression. Outer ring prayer spaces incorporated traditional Korean architecture, such as ‘deul-eo-yeol-gae-mun’ (folding+project door), adding diversity to the space with varying light patterns. The Panopticon’s interior was designed to create a large-scale spatial ecosystem utilizing cavernous spaces.