HLM is a well-established leader in this challenging specialist sector. We take our decades of experience to design secure, safe, dignified and – above all – humane places that actively contribute to wellbeing and rehabilitation.
Justice
Design for dignity
Design for places of incarceration is very challenging, demanding specialist knowledge and sensitivity. We provide safety and security – for both residents and staff – while creating a dignified, safe environment for rehabilitation.
Based on 25 years of experience, our design approach is to challenge accepted standards and keep learning how we can make a positive difference. Our ultimate goal is to create space that allows prisoners to address their offending behaviors to reduce reoffending rates, keeping families and communities together.
Our thoughtful design approach to Justice and Emergency Services projects is operationally led, ensuring that every building supports efficiency, safety, and wellbeing. By deeply understanding the needs of the services, we deliver elegant, sustainable places that enhance performance and wellbeing —such as reducing firefighter turnout times—while maintaining award-winning design quality
Steven Lennon
Our expertise
We know that purposeful activity and maintaining family ties lead to significant reductions in reoffending. We design structures and support systems that encourage autonomy and self-sufficiency, and discourage institutionalisation. Focusing on connection to home and family, we create visitor experiences from a child’s viewpoint, with some visitor spaces mirroring a home environment.
Therapeutic and learning environments are sensitively designed to care for people of every age group, many with complex physical and mental health issues.
Similarly, staff wellbeing is a consistent priority. We carefully adhere to ‘see and be seen’ layout and design protocols, and create dedicated staff wellbeing areas.
HLM remains at the forefront of custodial design in the UK and internationally, working with all categories of prisoner groups – all security grades, men, women, young offenders, sentenced and remand.
We’ve spoken on this specialist subject at conferences across the world and are ranked in the top four prison architecture firms in the world. HLM has designed and completed over 7,500 new prison places to date.
Improving care, reducing reoffending
We know that purposeful activity and maintaining family ties lead to significant reductions in reoffending. We design structures and support systems that encourage autonomy and self-sufficiency, and discourage institutionalisation. Focusing on connection to home and family, we create visitor experiences from a child’s viewpoint, with some visitor spaces mirroring a home environment.
Therapeutic and learning environments are sensitively designed to care for people of every age group, many with complex physical and mental health issues.
Similarly, staff wellbeing is a consistent priority. We carefully adhere to ‘see and be seen’ layout and design protocols, and create dedicated staff wellbeing areas.
Pioneering custodial design
HLM remains at the forefront of custodial design in the UK and internationally, working with all categories of prisoner groups – all security grades, men, women, young offenders, sentenced and remand.
We’ve spoken on this specialist subject at conferences across the world and are ranked in the top four prison architecture firms in the world. HLM has designed and completed over 7,500 new prison places to date.
