CUSTODIAL FACILITY DESIGN
On arrival, staff and visitors have a bright and open view of the courtyard garden beyond. Natural materials help enhance the link with the outside.
a multitude of corporate and external stakeholder steps and formal stages, including many and varied consultations. It also greatly benefited from informative and positive support via the significant energy, effort, and loyalty of the whole team throughout.
Creating functional, safe, and similar spaces to support wellbeing SPS and the design team took the fundamental approach to create an environment within a new facility that strived to achieve a series of similar and balanced spaces, which will benefit the occupants’ mental health and wellbeing. This in turn should allow all people who occupy the buildings, whether short term, long term, or on remand, a sense of being treated and provided for equally – with very similar, functional, safe, and relaxing spaces. This ethos of equality exists internally, externally, environmentally, and contextually. Aligned to this is the view that being in custody is only temporary, and that where and what you are will have an effect on you when you leave. The arrangement of the houses
containing bedroom and living accommodation is where this approach
The central Hub space provides a focal gathering point at the heart of the facility, directly linking to a number of social and educational facilities.
is most evident. A key design driver was to ensure that all bedrooms had, as far as possible, an equality of view to the landscape to the west of the site. This dictated a single aspect house arrangement, with bedrooms to one side of each house. The staggered wing arrangement of each house, set in a radial plan around the central garden, ensured that all bedroom windows were aligned to face the landscape. This staggered arrangement also allowed for natural light to be fed to the dual aspect living spaces, between bedroom wings. With every Custodial project there is a fine balance between the privacy of those in custody, and the requirement for supervision by staff, either physically, or through use of technology. Great care was taken within this project to ensure that first and foremost spaces were designed with consideration given to the women’s wellbeing, and how these spaces provide choices depending on mood, interaction, or the need for personal space. As a result, the layouts were carefully planned to ensure discrete, passive supervision from informal staff touchdown points, in lieu of the more traditional control desks and staff offices.
The houses themselves are broken
down into a series of small, 6-10 bedroom wings, with separate, defined main living spaces. Several smaller rooms off these living spaces provide for more intimate use – from TV and dining to fitness and contemplation spaces, all with direct views to dedicated garden spaces. This inherent flexibility ensures that all the occupants have a range of choice in response to their particular needs.
Destination choices Care was also taken to create relaxing spaces throughout the wider establishment, and to create destination choices such as going to the dining hall, library, sports, or hairdresser’s. This normality helps to reduce stress and poor wellness associated with being in custody, giving the women opportunities to positively occupy their time. It also offers direction and routine that can be individual or group based. All of these elements which are part of normal everyday life create a sense of purpose and meaning to the women. Traditionally, within previously built
The bedroom spaces are warm and welcoming, with natural materials creating a soft aesthetic. A lowered cill creates a window reading seat where the occupant can enjoy views to the fields beyond.
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prison establishments, the journey from court to prison culminates in being brought by secure transport to a solid steel door in a faceless façade – the ‘Prisoner Reception’. At this point begins an incredibly stressful experience of being searched, all belongings recorded and taken to storage, and any medical examinations deemed necessary being carried out – all in a series of internalised, heavily controlled, and clinical accommodation. This life-changing experience can be an incredibly, and arguably unnecessarily, disorientating and anxiety-filled process. It offers no re- assurance of what lies ahead. At HMP & YOI Stirling, this process, and specifically how the design of the building is considered, have been turned on its head. Working closely with Ian Smith of SPS, who drove the initial concept for this area, the idea of creating an open, transparent strategy was explored from the outset. Large areas of glazing can offer views through the building to purpose- designed landscaped garden spaces on arrival, and from within waiting areas. This
MAY 2024 | THE NETWORK
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