Generally when we think of Police stations we envision drab colors, cold cement floors and double-paned glass (not to mention those super-cozy looking stainless steal toilets they have in the drunk tank.) At best we imagine the crappy 70’s haunt where the Chips duo park their choppers.

Well, the force is coming back in full force. We’re talkin’ the rainbow, swiss-cheese-esque aesthetics of the Koban Police Station, envisioned by architect Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham Architecture. (Where is Koban you ask? It happens to be in Kumamoto, the most southern island of Japan) The space that’s reserved for impounding criminals is awash in bright colorful hues, friendly curved walls and a graphic polka-dot pattern that slices through perforated steel. Beaming rays of sunlight cut through the orifices and cast happy pops of sunlight on the surrounding pavement. It’s quite possibly the friendliest police force we’ve ever seen. Literally. Those Chips guys can only dream.

Photography: Koichi Torimura

KNSTRCT ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECTURE

Koban Police Station, Japan

Generally when we think of Police stations we envision drab colors, cold cement floors and double-paned glass (not to mention those super-cozy looking stainless steal toilets they have in the drunk tank.) At best we imagine the crappy 70’s haunt where the Chips duo park their choppers.