The Specialist Training Centre was built in 2003 to train London's Metro Division in the tools and tactics of urban riot control.

The 3.5 square mile facility in Gravesend, England has a full stable of horses, vehicles, weapons, and other tactical staples of the UK riot police.

Even though the combat is simulated, participants wear full riot gear and have to get used to confronting real physical force.

Live petrol bombs are also used in the training.

Most of the buildings in the imaginary city under siege are just facades, like the ones you'd find on the set of a movie.

In the downtown section, buildings are more fully realize, allowing officers to practice structure entry and clearing tactics.

Rawling's initial interest was sparked by the idea that an entire town was constructed just to simulate conflict - a place where conflict reigns even when no one is there.

By pitching the photos as an art project, Rawlings may have sidestepped some of the concerns of officials worried about his motives. It still took him about seven months to gain access.

Rawlings wasn't allowed to photograph the officers' faces, significantly limiting his photographic options.

The facility is also host to a live fire weapons training, but Rawlings wasn't allowed to visit those areas.

Rawlings shoots on film, lending to a slower and more considered approach and less the fast-paced, action-oriented photography that often comes from the scene of a riot.

Also included on site are life sized sections of an aircraft, sports stadium, and underground rail for more specific forms of training.

The signs of conflict in the series often sit in stark contrast to the tightly controlled environment where they occurred.

As part of the exercises, officers in riot gear face off against other officers playing the role of rioters.

Another restriction Rawlings faced was that he couldn't shoot from ground level during exercises, forcing him to find ways for shooting from elevated angles. Unlike the petrol bombs, the bricks in this photo are fake.

Access to the site is strictly controlled -- even after gaining clearance, Rawlings was stopped several times by officers who didn't know why he was there.

An assistant helped the photographer switch between loaded and spent film cameras without having to take a break from shooting.

While this portion of Architecture of Control is complete, Rawlings says he's interested in pursuing the topic in new ways. He says that could include more metaphorical takes on the notion of conflict, including the realms of interpersonal communication and psychology.