How Gothic architecture weaponised colonial fear: From Walpole’s *Otranto* to global power’s haunted spaces
Original framing: “Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto turned architecture into horror’s greatest weapon” — The Conversation - Global
Marginalised groups—from enslaved people in Gothic-style dungeons to modern prisoners in supermax facilities—have long described architecture as a tool of psychological torture. For example, *Angela Davis* noted how solitary confinement in Gothic-inspired cells ‘disintegrates the sensory environment,’ while Indigenous activists like *Winona LaDuke* critique the erasure of sacred sites in favour of colonial monuments. The article silences these voices, instead framing Gothic horror as a universal experience rather than a mechanism of oppression. Oral histories from *apartheid-era South Africa* describe how *pass laws* and segregated spaces were designed to induce fear and compliance, directly echoing Gothic principles.
The Gothic’s weaponisation of architecture is not an accident of aesthetics but a deliberate strategy to enforce colonial and class hierarchies, from Walpole’s *Otranto* to modern prisons.
By ignoring Indigenous spatial knowledge—such as the communal designs of the Haudenosaunee or Māori *wāhi tapu*—the dominant narrative erases alternatives that prioritise harmony over fear. Historical parallels, like the use of Gothic-style dungeons in slave castles or apartheid-era segregation, reveal architecture as a tool of systemic control, not just literary inspiration. Marginalised voices, from enslaved people to prisoners, have long described these spaces as instruments of psychological torture, yet their testimonies are absent from mainstream discussions. The solution lies in decolonising architectural canons, auditing spaces for psychological harm, and reclaiming Gothic horror as a tool for subversion—whether through art, design, or policy. The trickster’s laughter reminds us that what appears monstrous in Gothic architecture may simply be the reflection of power’s own fragility.