Archetype of Panoptic Space:
a spatialization of the social discourse.
(the way time is handled has a lot to do with the construct of the space).
References:
1. African Spaces - designs for living in upper volta by Jean-Paul BOURDIER/Trinh MINH-HA - Africana Publishing Co - ISBN 0-8419-0890-7
2. Maisons Africaines - Rene GARDI - Elsevier Sequoia - ISBN 2-8003-0046-9






The Gurunsi Compound: Archetype of Panoptic Space
The african architecture is a spatialization of social discourse.

Cephalomorphism: a hydra-headed form. 
Modern urbanity is confronted by endless problems of territoriality, natural supervision, and flexible degrees of promiscuity... A good number of solutions appear to hold in their concepts of practiced proxemics in Africa.
In the present survey, we will confront the Panoptics of Bentham in "the authority of the eye" at the organisational proxemics of space with the peoples of the horizontal Nilo-Sudanese area.
What panoptics looks like? 
Panoptics is a method of spatialistic intent, capable of dividing space and leaving it open at the same time, while an authoritative look capable of assuring a supervision, is to be global and individualistic simultaneously.
African Spaces = Panoptic Spaces. 
In the Gurunsi social concept of space, each and every one's occupied position overlooks the whole society, cores communications with each other. 
Regards do not meet any obstacles, the integrity of someone's opinion is always preserved: the authority of the eye is very cheap compared to the monarchic power which functions at high political cost. Punishment should be glaring in order to be a deterrent.
In Africa, the problem is not to punish people, but to place them in such a position that they dare not behave abnormaly.
See-through Sculptures = See-through Architectures. 
The way time is handled has a lot to do with the construct of the space. Their telescoping offers the possibility of a transparent society, visible, readible at the same time in any of its parts.
As result, architectural spaces are defined as the global see-through environment.
An indepth analysis of the habitat sets out the subtility of the art of communication among africans with the dialogue between the voice, the feet, the hands and even the whole body and the man made space. 
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