The Unknown City: Contesting Architecture and Social Space

The Un(known) City . . .
find that the new headquarters of its spy organization is a “post modern”
“landmark” that will contribute to the “new look of London” (all expressions
used by Kenneth Powell to describe the building). 19
There is an obvious paradox here: what is a top secret organization
doing in a highly visible building? 20 I do not have the answer, but there may
be clues if we look at the facade of the building—if we look at the cover of
the undercover city. The MI6 building is located on the Albert Embankment,
on the south bank of the Thames, opposite the Tate Gallery. A riverside
walk in front of the building gives the public access to the river and the
stunning views of the Houses of Parliament and the sweep of the Thames.
When I visited the building, there were people on both sides of the
Thames taking pictures of it. I was, as it were, not alone. Indeed, when I
went into the building to ask about it, the staff there were very helpful—
and they did not seem at all surprised by my questions about the building,
referring me to Powell’s book about the architecture, Vauxhall Cross. The
building certainly is an attraction. Then again, so are the people who look
at it: as you walk around, cameras whirl about, tracking every footstep. So,
the paradox mentioned above seems to work out this way: first buy a spectacular
building that attracts casual (and not so casual) attention, then cover
the building in surveillance and antisurveillance equipment to watch those
who come to look at it and to stop the onlookers from seeing too much. I
find this economy of surveillance curious—and increasingly disturbing.
There is a fairly long story behind Vauxhall Cross, but it is enough
to say that Terry Farrell produced a number of designs before the British
government’s Property Services Agency (PSA) agreed to buy the building—
partly because the end users (MI6) had distinct requirements, including
cellular offices, computer rooms, archive stores, and covered parking.
Throughout these negotiations, certain principles kept the look and integrity
of the design together. In particular, Farrell balanced the use of
“solids” and “voids” to convey a sense not only of lightness and of air, but
also of enclosure and of a human scale. It is this use of solids and voids that
I will focus on, mainly because it might tell us something about the undercover
city.
According to Powell, “the division between solid and void, precast
and glazed cladding, on the exterior of the building is equally logical, reinforcing
into three stepped blocks and the taut balance between monumentality
and lightness which is the essence of the scheme.” 21 Thus, the building
embodies the idea of solids and voids, while meeting the requirements for
enclosed and secure office spaces. The question is why solids and voids
might be a “logical” extension of MI6’s needs. Further, it might be asked
why MI6 might agree to this balance between monumentality and light-