How does building design impact security – and vice versa?

Building design thoroughly affects physical security systems including access points, surveillance coverage, and emergency egress routes. Well-designed buildings with controlled access points facilitate the implementation of access control measures, while thoughtful layouts enhance surveillance capabilities and support effective emergency response. The design of entrances exits, and interior spaces affects how access control systems are implemented. Secure access points need to be strategically placed and designed to prevent unauthorised entry, while still allowing for an efficient flow of authorised personnel. Conversely, security requirements influence building design decisions, such as the placement of barriers, the integration of security infrastructure, and the creation of secure zones. The reciprocal relationship between building design and physical security systems emphasises the importance of collaboration between architects and security professionals to create environments that prioritise safety and security without compromising functionality or aesthetics. Effective integration of design and security considerations is essential for creating safe and secure environments. 

Building designers benefit from involving a security consultant. Leveraging their expertise can avoid costly oversights and identify optimal placement for devices. For example, what type of ceiling is planned? This will dictate the type of wire that should be run and whether it requires a conduit. Are devices outside or in remote buildings or areas? If so, what is the connectivity between head-end and remote devices? Windows, the sun’s movement, clouds, and glare will affect motion detectors and video quality. Interior furnishing placement and layout can impact the line of sight for cameras and intrusion detection. Mounting security devices on high or inaccessible building exteriors makes servicing them a challenge. Incorporating the requirements of security systems into the design of building projects ensures the requirements and capabilities of the systems are considered in the building plan as a whole and not a costly afterthought. 

Building design frequently impacts the choice and style of physical security systems. Security camera deployment is a perfect example. Designers and architects want cameras to be as unobtrusive and invisible to the eye whenever possible. This requires smaller and thinner camera housings and recessed mounting options. A variety of camera housing colours and options like smoked domes also help to obscure cameras from view. Designers also prefer to install fewer cameras without sacrificing coverage. This can be achieved with strategically deployed multisensor cameras that can take the place of up to five individual cameras. Fisheye cameras are another option that delivers 360-degree coverage from a single sensor. Likewise, the need for comprehensive security can influence building design. A requirement for efficient and reliable access control can influence building design layout, such as which entrances and exits will be used to allow security and operations to have maximum control and oversight. 

For architects, specifiers, investors, building owners, and everyday users, design is a fundamental part of the experience of passing into and through a building. No one wants their vision for a new building or retrofit disrupted by jarring or outmoded aesthetics. As flexible access becomes much more of a “must-have” for this new generation of buildings, getting aesthetics right is essential. For many years we have focused on consistency and clarity in industrial device and component design. It’s embedded in our processes from the very first concept – as award juries are noticing. For example, announced at BAU last year, our Cam-Motion® Security Door Closer with integrated latch bolt, escape door strike, and mechanical door coordinator won Product of the Year in S+B Schloss- und Beschlagmarkt’s security technology and access control category. The jury of experts’ criteria combines innovation, utility, value, design, and digitalisation potential. Our products have won the prestigious Red Dot Design and ICONIC Awards from the German Design Council, among many others. We also have extensive experience supplying customers for whom design is at the top of their list of criteria – with our smart key system at the new Bauhaus Museum in Dessau, for example. At the landmark Norwegian Opera and Ballet on Oslo’s waterfront, we worked with Norwegian architects Snøhetta and Swiss manufacturer Glutz to combine our access solution with a custom-designed handle to complement the space. In these and many other settings, the security of a device is increasingly considered “a given.” Digital access must do much more: getting aesthetics right is more important than ever. 

Where access control systems have developed into a prominent feature of building design, decision-makers are repeatedly tasked with striking a balance between aesthetics and security. A project’s design demands will often have a considerable impact on specification, with products selected based on decorative taste or the desired flow of movement for example. Yet, in creating a visually striking environment, decision-makers must ensure a building’s security needs are equally fulfilled, with solutions conforming to end-user demands, occupant safety, and the latest regulations. As access control technology advances, the process of harmonising aesthetics and security has become more streamlined as a result. Considered product design has led to the introduction of Bluetooth and “concealed” security systems that require less intrusive components and by contrast are designed to complement the vision of the architect or design team without compromising the surveillance or access control points located throughout the building. In doing so, physical security systems are better at blending the aesthetic and security foundations required in building design.

Building design can significantly impact physical security systems. Many real-life security incidents have occurred because of poor new designs and the use of old facilities. For example, consider the case of a joint hotel/medical facility. When walking through this dual facility, the building design lacks proper signage to designate hotel/conference goers versus those who are accessing the medical facility. Not only this, but the building lacks surveillance cameras within the elevators and no one to monitor for those who are getting on and off the elevator. In a situation like this, where there is a lack of any type of physical security access controls in the hallways, elevators, or throughout the hospital areas, and the surveillance practices are lacking, anyone could have easily entered and from the medical and hotel areas. When designing new buildings, as well as when using older facilities, architects and designers should work with security teams to properly incorporate secure access controls, appropriately placed surveillance, and support for security testing. 

Building design and physical security are firmly interlinked and have a significant impact on each other. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) theory focuses on the tactical design utilising five principles – physical security, surveillance, movement control, management and maintenance, and defencible space. This demonstrates how physical security can enhance building design but also shows that building design must consider the requirements of physical security to be an effective crime deterrent. Natural surveillance, access control, and emergency egress are all key examples of how they are interdependent, with each influencing the other in terms of functionality, effectiveness, and aesthetics. 

Building design is one of the most variable factors affecting physical security system design and tremendously impacts how systems integrators quote a project. Before selecting the right technologies, integrators must answer many design-related questions, including what network infrastructure exists. Where are server rooms located? What are interior and exterior walls made of? How many floors are there? Are some underground? Where is the parking? What role does the lobby play? How does natural light vary throughout the day? Are there aesthetic considerations? Is the building a historical landmark and subject to related regulations? These are just some building design issues; there are many more! This variability is why integrators need flexibility when estimating security hardware, software, cabling, labour, and miscellaneous expenses. Quoting tools that impose cookie-cutter packages and pricing are bound to generate proposals that misalign with the requirements of actual opportunities. Integrators must be able to estimate based on real floor plans, separate costs for each system, and adjust labor at the part, system, and job level to account for each site’s unique challenges. Without such flexibility, a range of undesirable outcomes is likely, including lost opportunities, dissatisfied customers, and low profitability. 

One way that building design impacts physical security is in terms of the placement of security hardware such as cameras and access control. Building design should take into account which wires to run and where. This is important because poor camera angles can affect artificial intelligence analytics performance. Specifically, camera angles can obscure important details or warp the view of people and licence plates rendering them unrecognisable. A camera that is poorly positioned can have glare or be exposed to the elements, thus greatly reducing its usefulness. 

The design of a building plays a pivotal role in a comprehensive security approach. The layout, construction, and architectural requirements directly impact the placement and type of security measures needed. Likewise, security considerations can influence design choices. This could entail installing reinforced doors or incorporating natural surveillance features like well-lit pathways. Additionally, unifying physical security systems with building automation tools improves both security and operational efficiency. Security systems that collect data about building usage can feed automated systems such as elevator dispatch, lighting, fire, or HVAC to streamline operations. Integrating security measures during the design phase enhances effectiveness and efficiency while minimising obtrusiveness.

Building technology and the ways in which buildings are designed are changing significantly, with the increasing use of digital twins and the integration of smart building technologies that infuse modern buildings with increased automation capabilities. In a smart building, all of these technologies – security, climate control, occupancy sensors, lighting controls, energy usage, etc. – must be automated to achieve maximum efficiency, which puts a very high requirement on connectivity throughout the building. Cameras and access control systems, which are crucial subsystems of a smart building, can also provide building owners and managers with valuable data on people flow, occupancy levels, space utilisation, and many other areas to help plan facility renovations or plan for future new construction.