Sector Overview
Design for places of incarceration is very challenging. Resolving conflicting needs of safety and security while providing an environment that seeks to positively contribute to rehabilitation and personal growth demands knowledge, experience, and sensitivity. Inspiring residents to learn and develop is our ultimate goal.
Design of blue light facilities similarly requires deep operational understanding allied to a thoughtful design approach to help deliver emergency services provision where staff can perform to the very highest standards.
Belgium Prisons
HLM worked collaboratively with French architects on the concepts for 2 prisons at Mons and Charleroi with 400 inmates. The design had to consider a human scale to both the internal and external environment, making allowances for views out and inmate visibility through passive security measures.
HMP Bronzefield
HMP Bronzefield is the first purpose-designed women’s prison since Holloway. It has a CNA of 450 spread through three two-story high cross-shaped house blocks. Residential units are limited to a maximum of 34 prisoners, and are arranged around a large landscaped square with free-flow circulation. A strong operational brief focusing particularly on women prisoners’ needs was developed at the outset with operational staff. An awareness of issues such as the prevalence of self-harm, family responsibilities, support requirements, and typical sentence structure has informed all stages of the design including careful considerations of scale, detail, and finish.
HMP Belmarsh East
This new facility located adjacent to the existing HMP Belmarsh prison, is a 480 CNA training prison for young adult males, incorporating extensive educational and training facilities, with a visitors centre and visits complex including legal visits and video court suites. The development is designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent rating and includes CHP and Biomass heating, rainwater harvesting and maximisation of natural ventilation and daylight throughout.