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How Design Can Help Decarcerate the U.S.
June 26, 2024"We need to design spaces that can decarcerate America," write Principals and Justice+Civic Planning Leaders Lori Coppenrath and Marayca Lopez, ICPA.
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Project Location
San Quentin, CA
Area
80,500 GSF
California Model
The beginning of California's system-wide change
Features
Rooftop outdoor learning areas, media center, and library
13
The Principles of Rehabilitation
Time spent in custody should be time spent rehabilitating. Creating a space that nurtures transformation, however, is a design feat predicated on an understanding of how the built environment shapes human behavior.
01
A Sense of Agency
Owning Your Experience
Cultivating a sense of agency is foundational for successful reentry. Previously, there were very few spaces outside of an office or classroom space for gathering; but our design introduces more flexibility and freedom of movement between spaces. These 鈥渢hird spaces鈥� in between classrooms 鈥� both within the building and outside of it 鈥� allow a person to feel a sense of ownership over their experience. The demolition of San Quentin鈥檚 south wall enables people in custody to explore and engage in life-enhancing programs. The campus-style layout lets people choose their own pathway to the caf茅, library, media center, and more. A central set of stairs in each building promotes freedom of movement and enhances health through physical activity, earning the design an 鈥渁ctive design鈥� credit through LEED, which aims to improve building users鈥� health through physical activity.
02
Normative Environments
Creating Restorative Connections
Our design softens the imposing monolith of San Quentin with a campus-style layout. Creating three connected buildings 鈥� instead of a single, large building 鈥� channels a healing and restorative connection to the outdoors. This connection threads through the buildings with earth tone palettes inspired by nature and the environment. Connection to nature creates a non-institutional ambiance, but how the spaces are used is just as important. The caf茅, for instance, can be used by both staff and people in custody to foster a normative and communal environment. The media center provides training opportunities relevant to the current job market, including audiovisual production and a coding program. In the past, people in custody could request specific books, but not browse a selection to decide what they wanted to read. The normative library model in the new center creates a more humane setting and prepares individuals for re-entry.
03
Privacy and Dignity
Making Life Humane
Our in-house acoustical engineers worked to ensure acoustical privacy in spaces. Individuals can gather at the top of the stairs or at the end of the hallway for quiet conversation, fostering a sense of normalcy and dignity within the facility.
The Big Idea
Leading Justice Reform
