Cardassian architectural style can best be described as honest; in other words, the function of the individual elements is not concealed for aesthetic effect. As a result, supporting columns and beams are almost always visible. The Cardassians tend to show the inner workings of their systems; for example, some circular doors have extremely obvious ridged edges like cogs, which are used to roll them in and out of place. The approach also explains why their turbolifts do not have doors.

Cardassian design is extremely ordered and formulaic; they prefer to work in threes. This can be seen in design of space stations such as Empok Nor and Terok Nor, where the three docking pylons are placed at equal distances around circular docking ring. The stations also have three rings. These rings are joined by three crossways.

 

POWER OF THREE

The Cardassians’ desire for balance over symmetry leads then to prefer ellipses to perfect circles, and angles to straight lines. Their tendency to see things in threes often leads to curved, triangular doorways.

The Cardassians favor unity, and the same forms are repeated throughout their structures, both inside and out. One of the most favored shapes is a curved arm or tower, which can be seen in both ground-based building and space stations.

The Cardassian aesthetic reflects the very tough, Spartan values that dominate their lives, a sign that they see beauty in strength. Consequently, their structures are often angular and aggressive, and feature sharp points and spars. The vast majority of buildings in Cardassian cities are built from the same material – a dark grey substance that resembles granite and is clearly admired for its tough appearance. As a result, Cardassian cities tend to look very uniform, and resemble the belly of a vast slate grey insect that extends as far as the eye can see. Doorways and window frames are often constructed of metallic substances that resemble bronze or gun metal; like the stone material, these are valued for their strong appearance.

The political realities of maintaining oppressive regime mane the government buildings have to be well-defended; consequently many of them resemble bunkers, and have few windows that could be used to gain entry.

 

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

Like most cultures, the Cardassians have constructed their cities around rivers, which were historically important for trade. Typically, important buildings are built on the river banks and can be seen reflected in the water, which turns bright red in the dusk when it also reflects the setting sun.

Cardassian architecture is designed to express and reinforce Cardassian ideology. For hundreds of year, the Cardassians are governed by a fascist system, with the vast majority of people acknowledging their subservience to a political elite. Even within the ruling class the system maintains a strong hierarchy.

Cardassian architecture places great emphasis on the importance on senior figures. In a court room the archon – or judge – sits on podium that is raised several metres above the ground. On a Nor station, the prefect’s office in the Operations Center is on a higher level than the rest of the room, and has to be approached by steps. Furthermore, the room is separated from the rest of ops by large doors. One a Cardassian ship, the commanding officer sits on a raised chair, looking down on his officers. This is in stark contrast to Klingon or Federation ships, where the captain is almost invariably surrounded by his crew.

Cardassians architecture also reminds the people that they are under constant surveillance. In practice, every citizen is monitored by the Obsidian Order, who carefully note any signs of unpatriotic activity. In architectural terms, eye-shaped monitors on the buildings look out over the people. In practice these are used for public proclamations, but the symbolism in unmistakable. Once again, the monitors are far higher than they need to be, forcing people to look up at their rulers.

Cardassian interiors tend to be dark. Where the Federation favors large expanses of window, typical Cardassian structures have relatively small windows, rarely take up more space then the supports around them.

Cardassian society makes no concessions to the infirm or disabled, and the same is true of their living space. For example doors have lips, that prevent wheelchairs from moving freely.

Cardassians are fascinated by vertical forms and their interiors are often higher then they are wide. Again, this reflects their obsession with a social hierarchy. On Terok Nor there is a massive promenade that runs around one entire level of station. This is effectively an extended corridor; the remarkable point is that it is on two and sometimes three levels. Each level is taller than it strictly needs to be, and the combined height of the space is enormous.

 

LEVEL TREATMENT

During the Cardassian occupation of Bajor this multi-tiered design had a practical purpose. The subjugated Bajoran citizens were confined to the lower levels, where they were literally penned in, and their Cardassian oppressors patrolled the upper levels, where they could oversee them in safety. It is clear, however, that the Cardassians also favor this design for aesthetic reasons, since the Cardassian skyline is dominated by narrow towers, many of which were built to honor war heroes.