The American Prison

The design of U.S. prison facilities do not support inmate rehabilitation, resulting in high rates of recidivism. Through drawings we can imagine a more ethical and moral application to the prison environment. One that exploits the opportunity to create more human centric spaces as a counterpoint to the defaults that are seen in the existing prison typology. This image imagines an environment where inmates are housed in units that weave fluidly through and around a zone of support that contains the critical roles of prison functions. Each environment for the prisoners is contextualized to physical disposition, location, and individual rehabilitation needs. Positioned to observe internal and external landscapes, the individualized spaces are prioritized while a machine in the center, or “technical guardian,” patrols the facility through a combination of virtual and tangible methods. This drawing gives shape to a more contemporary rationale that embraces technology and presents a new proposition.