Management of security concerns in the built environment: Connecting Buffalo's City Hall in Niagara Square to Lafayette Square (New York)

This thesis investigated the use of architecture as an instrument to promote civic-empowerment and spaces dedicated to the exchange of ideas as indicators of a livable community in touch with the evolution of democracy. Considering the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001 (9/11), can buildings like City Hall still serve as a place for public meetings and discourse? The events that took place on that day have heightened concerns for public safety and have led to restrictions on the accessibility of civic architecture. This thesis has investigated how security concerns resulting from those recent events have affected civic architecture.; Architecture has an opportunity to create spaces that support the ideology of an open and free society. However, this opportunity coincides with government policies of the day. Currently, the debate over the Patriot Act and the systemic effects of increased government control offer a compelling parallel to the changes taking place around civic architecture. While few would argue that change is unnecessary, some would argue that the proposed changes will adversely affect the ability of civic architecture to foster democracy.; The final project is an architectural design proposal that manages security concerns in a civic environment by connecting Buffalo's City Hall, located in the center of the Government District, with Lafayette Square, a green space that has become the central location for cultural and mercantile exchange. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...