The construction of spaces plays an important role in how dialogue takes shape within them, and as the new book 'Parliament' hypothesizes, this architectural conception is most important when it comes to the spaces in which governments form national policy. The book documents all 193 of the United Nations countries' national assembly halls, drawing comparisons between them and making inferences about their impact on the national conversation.
The book breaks the world's parliaments down into five distinct types: "opposing benches," "semicircle," "horseshoe," "circle," and "classroom." According to XML, the Dutch creative agency behind the Parliament book, each of these layouts shape the level of democracy and control and guide the contours of debate within nations' parliamentary halls.
What's Driving This Trend
- National Assembly Hall Architecture
- Innovative firms can design parliamentary spaces with a focus on fostering democratic and constructive conversations.
- Parliamentary Reform
- Governments can achieve greater impact by updating parliamentary spaces to encourage bipartisan cooperation and problem-solving.
- Architectural Analysis
- Researchers can study how the layout of parliamentary spaces can impact the democratic process in different countries.
Who This Affects Most
- Architecture
- Architect firms can focus on designing functional spaces for governments while keeping in mind the impact on policy.
- Government
- Governments can invest in updating historical parliamentary layouts to promote efficiency and inclusivity.
- Academia
- Researchers in architectural studies can explore how different layouts of parliamentary halls are associated with different policymaking and debate outcomes.
