Artist Statement
Keighley Higgins is preparing to graduate with a Master of Arts degree in Interior Architecture from Endicott College. She earned her BFA in Interior Design from Endicott College, Magna Cum Laude, in 2019. A four-year Presidential Scholarship recipient for her art background, she was inducted into the Endicott Honors Scholar program in 2016 and Mortarboard Honor Society for scholarship, leadership and service in 2018. Keighley participated in Study Abroad opportunities at Florence University of the Arts and a study Tour of Copenhagen in 2017. While at Endicott, Keighley interned at Leandra Fremont-Smith Interiors, Convergent Technologies Design Group Inc. and Colwen Design and Purchasing, allowing her to graduate with valuable residential, commercial and hospitality design experience. Invited to continue with the latter for nearly two years as she completed her degrees, she is entering the workforce with substantial work experience.
Inspired by the application of design to current social issues, Keighley’s graduate thesis presents the integration of security with architecture and design as protection from mass shootings in public spaces. She hopes to continue to implement progressive, user centered design throughout her career.
Thesis Abstract
This thesis project presents a public library in which passive (design based) security elements have been integrated into the building, therefore reducing crime while accounting for the possibility of a violent act.
As mass shootings and public acts of violence have increased steadily in frequency and severity for more than two decades, they have become part of the fabric of our society. Americans now live with this enormous, ongoing threat to our physical safety and emotional health. In reaction to tragic events, such as 9/11 and the Columbine shooting, the inception of security in our built spaces has been based primarily in function. These highly visible, often foreboding methods increase the anxiety of potential threats. With no definitive solution to gun violence in sight, reimagining security through design offers an opportunity for effective prevention and response, and the chance to reclaim peace of mind in our public spaces, through the seamless integration of defense with our built environments.
Public libraries prove to be highly suitable for design based security solutions. Although uniquely vulnerable due to open door policies, limited funding and dated security features, these spaces must uphold an identity of peace and refuge. Visible, aggressive security features such as metal detectors and cameras are uncomfortable reminders of potential risk in what should be a serene setting. The use of these passive features, rather than traditional, aggressive security measures, reinforces the identity of libraries as places of refuge and allows users to reclaim their peace of mind.