28/08/2026
RETYING THE KNOT — FIRST PRIZE 🏆
A project from 2019 that still holds a very special place in my architectural journey.
Together with Valerie Layni Yosephine, we were awarded First Prize in the Modern Police
Station: A Contemporary Design Challenge, an international student design competition
organized by the Canadian Academy of Architecture for Justice (CAAJ).
The competition challenged us to rethink what a police station could mean in a changing society—not simply as an institution of law enforcement, but as a piece of civic architecture capable of strengthening the relationship between the police and the community.
Our proposal, “Retying the Knot,” was set in Ciracas, East Jakarta, where a former police station had been burned down. Rather than simply rebuilding what was lost, we saw an opportunity to rebuild the relationship around it.
The proposal introduced communal spaces, a café and outdoor recreational areas, creating a police station that could become part of everyday community life.
Architecturally, the project combined a contemporary steel structure with natural materials and references to local building traditions.
The idea was simple:
If architecture can become a bridge between institutions and people, perhaps rebuilding the building can also mean rebuilding trust.
Looking back, winning First Prize was not only an incredible recognition—it was one of those projects that shaped how I think about architecture, community and the responsibility behind the buildings we design.
First Prize — CAAJ Student Design Competition 2019
The Modern Police Station
Project: Retying the Knot
Vincent Phang Ă— Valerie Layni Yosephine
CAA
