Captivating Architecture

• Main Author: Frögren, Carolin
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: KTH, Arkitektur 2019
• Subjects: Prison; Opportunities; Rehabilitation; Architecture; Arkitektur
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-261670

The project concerns the subject of prisons. How should architects handle buildings that no one wants to enter and should comfort still be the aim of the building? These questions lead me to define my project with two main research questions: ”What is the purpose of a prison?” and ”How can the architecture aid the purpose of a prison?” Prisons are generally known to have four major purposes: Retribution, Prevention, Deterrance and Rehabilitation. Generally, rehabilitation have been prioritized the least. My focus was how the architecture can aid the purpose of rehabilitation, while still considering the balance of control, security, freedom and liberties. Swedish prisons today have one of three different levels of security. If a prisoner needs to change to a different security-level, it means moving them to a different prison, which is a security risk, among other things. My prison instead consists of four different levels of security within the same prison, and they are all organized around a “central park of opportunities”. This strategy is based on the current prison system in Sweden and the notion of free will. These four levels are connected to the park in different ways to emphasize the gradual release back to society. The park offers different places of work, education and variations in the landscape. It gives the inmates the opportunity to change their own circumstances for the better.