The richness and complexity of the city is a direct result of meaningful interactions between its many different layers—its culture, its history, its form, and its audience. The role of public architecture is to situate events that recognize and emphasize these different layers, connecting people and celebrating public engagement.
Distributed Warriors combines two of the many layers of Xi’an, China, the Metro network and the historical typology of watchtowers, to distribute a new system—a new layer—of vertical public spaces and programs across the city. These warriors each create a congestion of collective activities, offering spaces for public interaction that connect back to the layers of the city.