Topological Universality of the Art Gallery Problem

Abstract: We prove that any compact semi-algebraic set is homeomorphic to the solution space of some art gallery problem. Previous works have established similar universality theorems, but holding only up to homotopy equivalence, rather than homeomorphism, and prior to this work, the existence of art galleries even for simple spaces such as the M\"obius strip or the three-holed torus were unknown. Our construction relies on an elegant and versatile gadget to copy guard positions with minimal overhead. It is simpler than previous constructions, consisting of a single rectangular room with convex slits cut out from the edges. We show that both the orientable and non-orientable surfaces of genus $n$ admit galleries with only $O(n)$ vertices.