Janus Complex was a large residential area in Rapture, home to large numbers of poor workers and their families, but was
also home to schools, hospitals and a large commercial area.
History[]
Areas[]
S. Edison Homes[]
Named for the father of one of the founders of the Janus Complex, the S. Edison Homes was a large housing estate-like development built just off the main areas of the Complex, which provided relatively affordable housing for over a thousand Rapture citizens in its two towers of seven floors each. The towers were built in a style which resembled housing projects in the US, and were built that way for practicality, affordability and safety (however, several adverts and billboards were placed on the exterior, adding both colour and tackiness to the appearance). Many of the residents, who were from poorer backgrounds or had hit hard times, had a poor quality of life, despite large cleaning and security crews, as well as on-site amenities, installed to try and keep things tolerable. Gangs and loan sharks in particular became a problem for the community, meaning that the Homes became an active battleground during the Civil War. Towards the end of Rapture's history, the area was a key recruiting point for Atlas, and gangs and con artists looked out for themselves, trying to exploit the hard times.
In March 1958, a nearby earthquake struck the west tower, destroying the upper three floors and causing severe damage throughout. Despite an advanced warning of nearly an hour, the earthquake killed thirty-eight who were unable or unwilling to leave their homes or were otherwise caught in the chaos, and displaced over two hundred residents. Despite efforts by both the site owners and residents, only one of the floors was able to be rebuilt in full, due to increasing corruption and crime, as well as the whole civil war situation, making proper repairs and reconstruction almost impossible, even with the aid of ADAM and local charities. Following the fall of Rapture, the Homes remained in a state of disrepair, mostly just empty bar a scavenging Splicer or the occasional group of sane survivors holding out against the insanity and dangers around them.
Janus Square[]
The central square for the Janus Complex, serving as the main hub for Complex life, connected to all the smaller residential sectors as well as the Janus Mall. The main landmark being a large plaza and park area in the middle, the area has such amenities as the area's offices, a school, a clinic, a few businesses and apartments and the security base for the area. Various stands selling handmade products, newspapers or snacks decorate the Square, as do public telephones and posters advertising various products, services and causes. The square is enclosed in a giant transparent dome that serves as both wall and ceiling, however some of the larger buildings in the Square, as well as some of corridors leading out of the square and heading towards other parts of the complex, also serve as walls. The reenforced dome is bulletproof, explosionproof and fireproof and has five layers, in addition to any walls buildings touching the dome may bring, meaning that this critically vital part of the Complex infrastructure is still today leakfree.
Janus Square School[]
A large school serving kids and teenagers of all ages, it was founded by some charitable educationalists from the surface in 1949 to serve as a school for the growing community's children. While a basic education was free, the school had a lot of costs involved for more advanced lessons and supplies (reflecting Rapture's ideology when it came to any and all services), however some richer parents and teachers charitably paid the fees for poorer students. When times in Rapture were dark, it achieved a reputation as a place of safety, stability and virtue, and to sane survivors in the Janus Complex today, still does, with a survivor group of around fifty souls using the large building to hide out and support any other rare survivors they find.