Lauri Klemola on surveillance in the cityscape

LAURI KLEMOLA is a Finnish architect interested in finding new ways architecture can engage with contemporary culture. He has studied at Aalto University in Helsinki and at UC Chile in Santiago. He is designing learning environments at the Helsinki-based office AOR Architects and teaching at The Department of Architecture at Aalto University.

During his residency Lauri is using 3D laser scanning technology to study the intersection between physical and digital space. He is exploring the infrastructure of technology and surveillance in New York City with the aim of uncovering the spatial and material embodiments of the digital. Lauri's residency is supported through a partnership with The Cooper Union.

Tell us a little bit about the project you have been working on during your residency.

I’ve been working on a research project titled Surveillance Space, which explores the various ways in which state surveillance is visible in the physical and digital space of New York City. 

I’ve looked at both the infrastructure of surveillance, and how different communities have organised in response to intrusive surveillance. I’ve met with activists, artists and researchers working on tools to resist exploitation by state surveillance, and learned about how surveillance impacts marginalized communities disproportionately. 

My aim has been to point out different power structures in play in the city and to underline how surveillance technology tends to be perceived as something invisible, when in fact the technology and its effects are often surprisingly tangible.

This topic encapsulates various areas of research from architecture to the theme of security. What made you interested in this topic?

I’m interested in an emerging field of architecture called visual investigations. It is a discipline dealing with how architecture, as a part of a vast interdisciplinary network, can engage with the investigation of human rights violations in the pursuit of justice and accountability. 

The topic of surveillance has been a good framework for exploring this emerging field, because it intersects with issues of human rights, the use of public space, policing and civil liberties. Although visual investigations is still a somewhat niche field within architecture, there’s so much going on in the city that I’ve managed to find plenty of talks, exhibitions and events related to the field.

What makes New York City a specifically interesting site for researching the topic of surveillance?

I find that the topic is relevant in America, a country with such a long history of government surveillance both domestically and internationally. It is estimated that over 99% of global internet data traffic flows through undersea data cables connecting the US to other countries. This makes the US a hotspot of global surveillance, as was shown by the Snowden revelations in 2013.

I’m fascinated by how something so seemingly intangible as the internet actually consists of a physical set of infrastructure such as undersea cables and data centres. That’s also why we’re in Tribeca taking the pictures for this interview at 33 Thomas Street, an AT&T owned telecommunications building. In 2016, the building was revealed to be functioning as a mass surveillance hub for the NSA under the code name “Titanpointe”.

I’m also interested in the NYPD use of surveillance technologies. I’ve looked at issues ranging from the controversial use of facial recognition and predictive policing algorithms to counter-surveillance carried out on NYPD violations of civil liberties during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. Most recently, I’ve focused on the surveillance and control of public spaces exemplified by reactions to the 2024 Gaza solidarity encampments at NYC universities. 

In your study of New York’s surveillance infrastructure, how do you see the role of surveillance in shaping physical spaces?

An interesting example from an urban design point of view is the grid plan, which is synonymous to Manhattan but also the colonial world in general. You could say that the grid plan is a form of city planning shaped by a desire for surveillance, because it imposes order, direct lines of sight and control over public space.

When looking at the role of surveillance in public spaces, I think it’s important to ask questions such as: what kind of rules are imposed upon citizens in public spaces? What is considered as appropriate behaviour? What kind of bodies are tolerated? Who is kept under a watchful eye and why?

In New York City, surveillance affects marginalized Black and Brown communities at a disproportionate rate, reflecting existing prejudices and racial biases within the criminal legal system. People who are politically active and exercise their right to protest are also more likely to be affected. These are all aspects of surveillance that have tangible effects on public spaces.

What have been some of your favorite architectural spots in NYC?

There have been so many! One standout has been the TWA Flight Center at the JFK airport designed by Eero Saarinen in the 60s. Last week I rented a car from the airport to visit Long Island and while I was at JFK I managed to visit the otherwise hard-to-reach building. The futuristic terminal building has been converted into a hotel with a very retro feel. It is a curious window to a time when airplane travel was glamorised in a way that seems unimaginable today.

What awaits you after NYC?

It’s been an intense couple of months. I love it here, but getting used to the New York rhythm has definitely been an adjustment. I’m looking forward to returning to the calm Finnish pace of life to process everything I’ve experienced during my time here.

Interview and photos: Sini-Ida Heiskanen

Published: December 10, 2024