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In the bustle of King’s Cross sits a quiet archive, a sanctuary for harried commuters. Little do they know that the building's purpose is to entice passers-by for the purposes of omniscience, surveilling and profiling the activities of humankind. Pandering to our innate desire for and fear of knowledge, the building reveals its hidden functions to those curious and observant enough to follow its hints, leading them towards discovery. Through attracting the most vigilant, the architecture recruits human observers to carry on its system of archiving and recording the building’s visitors.
The long and short section drawings show internal circulation and key activities within the building, leading from the public entrance and the reading room to the hidden laboratory.
The ground floor plan characterises each space. The archive echoes the visual language of the open library and the neighbouring King’s Cross.
The sanctuary challenges the curiosity of those who come across it, becoming a reminder of all that remains unknown.
A study of surveillance in King’s Cross.
The building becomes a curious addition to the commuter’s journey through King’s Cross, inviting them into a struggle between the desire for knowledge and fear of the unknown.