What does leadership mean to you? Alexandra Kennedy, Project Lead

In celebration of International Women’s Day 2023, we thought we’d sit down with Alexandra Kennedy, one of our Senior Project Leads to discuss what leadership means to her.

With such wisdom around leadership and valuable insights around getting the most out of your team, it’s not hard to see why she is so highly praised by the team!

What do you think being a leader means?

Leadership is being able to help others find their passions, be confident, learn, and succeed. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the people I work with overcome challenges and achieve their goals, the joy in their faces.

What do you think is a common misconception of leadership?

1. A leader is above everyone else

A true leader doesn’t stand above, they stand amongst. They are approachable. As a leader you have enormous responsibility. You can make a significant difference in someone’s life – for better or worse – because of the position you have been given. To make sure it’s a positive impact you need to make yourself available, be part of the team – part of the people. This is so important for transparency, honesty, and confidence both leader to team and team to leader.

In saying this, a true leader is one that can be both amongst the team and in front of the team, providing the vision and direction so the team can follow. Though I would hope the team follows a leader who they respect and admire and when the direction is given, they follow without question. This is always my goal.

2. A leader doesn’t make mistakes

One of the most important things people forget is that leaders make mistakes. The truth is leaders don’t know everything and they don’t get everything right – they are continually learning too. In fact, if they are growing chances are they will make more mistakes than other members of the team.

It is important to own when you have made a mistake. Put your hand up in the air and say, “Yep that was me”. Lead by example and show your team that making a mistake is okay, leaders do it too. It doesn’t mean we think less of you or that you are off the team. Having humility and vulnerability being shown from the top makes it far easier for those who are new and learning to realise that you don’t have to be perfect, and we don't expect you to be.

A great leader will build an amazing team around them. A team that they lean on when they don’t have the expertise and experience to draw on or the time and capacity to do it all. Leadership is about knowing your strengths and weaknesses and knowing your teams’ strengths and weaknesses to ensure you get the best from everyone – and the spotlight is shared.

What do you think is the sign of a great leader?

If your team is taking a hit, you take it for them. It can be easy to play innocent, but taking the hit instils loyalty in your team. As the leader you have ultimate accountability anyway. Own the mistake or issue and then work on the solution collaboratively as a team so it is a learning opportunity for all involved. You want to help your team grow, so train them to not make the mistake again and eliminate the shame they can feel for making it.

If you receive praise, give credit to the team. Your success is a direct result of the team’s effort. When you share the praise and credit you show your appreciation for the work everyone has put in. This recognition also instils loyalty – and people naturally work better and harder when they are recognised and appreciated.

My goal is to see the people I lead be better than I ever was. Learn from me, learn from those around me, teach me and to end up being my lead and only ever turn to me as a mentor or advisor. I want to see my team achieve things they never thought they could, be filled with courage and thoughts that they had never thought possible.

Who are the leaders you look up to?

I have one in particular who I often joked I would give my first born. Wei-Han Kuan. He was the Young Adults Minister at my church for years, I was also blessed to be in his bible study group.

Although being a leader in a church is far different to being a leader of a large team delivering an architectural product, the traits can still be translated across. The value of each person, he had over 400 people he had to nurture and lead. He had to show a strong sense of direction and leadership when tough topics were discussed or raised.

As a church leader you are always challenged in your opinion and choices. He did it with grace and love. He opened his life, his home, and was humble and shared life with those who asked. That can all be applied in any leadership. As I have yet to have an offspring, Wei-Han has yet to receive my humble gift. 

How has managing large scale projects developed your leadership style? 

I came to Guymer Bailey knowing that this was my role, and that I was going to be leading the biggest team I had ever lead. So, I set myself goals before my first day around what I wanted to achieve in my leadership and who I wanted to be, knowing that some of my aims I had to work very hard at becoming!

There were times I know I was failing, but the changes happened and I definitely came out the other end molded into the leader I had aimed to be. I wanted to:

• Ensure that I delivered on what I promised, was reliable, dependable and trustworthy. 

• Value others and put the team first.

• Remember that everyone has something to offer. This one was an amazing point to learn and it has enriched my life so much. I’ve gained so much appreciation for every single person I work with! 

• Respect everybody. Never put others down and listen to all contributors. I have to admit, this was often the hardest, giving time to everyone when time is not there to give, but when you link it to the previous point and know everyone has something to offer, you just never know what they can be offering you in that moment.  

The five key issues in education design that impact learning and wellbeing

Our environment has a profound effect on us. It can impact everything from our level of concentration and productivity to our health and emotional wellbeing. Yet many schools aren't designed in a way that maximises learning outcomes, fosters community, encourages play, and prioritises student and teacher wellbeing.

Could your school be one of them? To help you, here are the five key issues in education design that impact learning and wellbeing that we identified through analysing over 140 schools in Australia.

1. Classroom layouts prevent learning opportunities

Gone are the days when every classroom layout has rows of desks facing the teacher and whiteboard. With each child learning differently, it’s important that the modern classroom features flexible learning areas for students to be able to learn in multiple ways – with the teacher, by themselves, and in varying group sizes through their peers.

For this to happen effectively, classrooms spaces need to be designed to have different areas that cater for collaborative work and discussion, allow for quiet individual work and retreat, and encourage focus time with the teacher at the front of the room. Open planning, breakout areas and flexible furniture are key to creating this flexibility within the classroom.

2. Children don’t have the flexibility to learn outside

While children thrive in routine, their performance can be impacted by working in the same environment all the time. By creating outdoor classroom environments, teachers and students can venture outside when the weather allows for different learning opportunities.

Combining adaptable indoor learning spaces with flexible outdoor spaces that are large enough for full class groups, students are given many varied opportunities for interaction, performance, collaboration, and connection to nature.

This not only boosts student engagement, but it also minimises costs of lighting and air-conditioning while providing greater connection to the landscape and better working conditions.

3. There are inadequate views to landscape from classrooms

Increasing the proportion of natural landscape within our immediate environments is key to improving both our physical and emotional health. In a study into ‘school landscape environments,’ it was suggested “that the function of schools’ landscape has significantly related to efforts of assisting the learning processes and nourishing environmental appreciation among students” (Ali, Rostam & Awang, 2015).

But unfortunately, some classrooms (even on the ground floor) don’t have adequate views to landscape. Increasing views to landscape, which can encompass a variety of natural and constructed spaces including open fields, gardens, shelters and open pavilions, reflective areas, and water bodies to name a few, can be a quick and easy way to improve student learning and wellbeing.

4. The inability for children to run and use their energy when needed

It’s no secret that physical activity is good for our health and improves our ability to think clearly. Yet the design of many schools and classrooms don’t allow children the opportunity to have regular times to move their body to increase their learning potential.

Throughout our consultation with teachers, we heard time and time again that the traditional classroom layout of desks facing a teacher doesn't allow kids an outlet for their abundant energy. This can lead to children being fidgety, distracting others or misbehaving.

The modern classroom model needs to allow space within the classroom inside and outside for children to use energy when they need to while still being a part of the class.

5. Carbon Dioxide build up from a lack of fresh air

While many schools install air-conditioning for the comfort of students and teachers, what many people are unaware of is that the quality of air can be dramatically affected. In environments with split system air-conditioning and no fresh air intake, air is simply moved around the room but not replaced, leading to a build-up of Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) throughout the day, which affects the cognitive ability and learning capability of students in the classroom.

In 2016, a study done by researchers at Harvard and Syracuse University found that human cognitive function declined by about 15% when indoor CO₂ reached 945 parts per million and crashed by 50% when indoor CO₂ reached 1,400 parts per million. Environments with split system air-conditioning can quickly reach these levels, especially after lunch when 30 sweaty kids re-enter the classroom after running around for an hour.

It’s a conundrum, isn’t it? We put students into classrooms and exam rooms that are air-conditioned for their comfort only to create the worst possible air quality for them to perform and compete against other schools in.

The good news is that through sustainable initiatives both the comfort and air quality of classrooms can be improved. While there are times when air-conditioning must be used, there are times when air-conditioning could be minimised by using a more effective passive ventilation design (like louvres) that will allow greater fresh air and breezes through the classroom. Ducted systems with fresh intake are very important in the classroom as are CO₂ monitors for any rooms that already have split system units installed.

Do measures like this make an impact, you might ask? A study done by the United States Environmental Protection Agency that examined the costs and benefits of green schools for Washington State estimated a 15% reduction in absenteeism and a 5% increase in test scores.

If you would like to book a School Audit to see how your school performs in these areas and more, call us today on (07) 3870 9700 (Brisbane) or (03) 8547 5000 (Melbourne).

6 Key Design Concepts for Forensic Mental Health Facilities

By Craig Blewitt and Andrew Greig

Cover Image: Glenside Mental Health Campus, Swanbury Penglase and MAAP Architects

It is well understood that prisoners, as a group, have significantly worse health than the general population with research confirming that prisoners have higher rates of mental illness, substance use disorders, personality disorders, intellectual disability, acquired brain injuries, autism and cognitive impairment. Studies have shown that, compared to the general community, prisoners are:

• 3-5 times more likely to have a mental illness [1]

• 10-15 times more likely to have a psychotic disorder [2]

• 20 times more likely to have an acquired brain injury [3]

Studies have also shown that 42% of prisoners have a psychiatric risk rating indicating mental health concerns [4].

The challenge in most jurisdictions is that there are few, if any, purpose built forensic mental health facilities; and where they do exist, demand greatly outstrips supply. As a result, many prisoners with acute mental health concerns are placed in accommodation that only serves to aggravate their mental health conditions. Some of the most moving and emotional project briefings we’ve experienced have been for specialist mental health facilities, where experienced custodial and forensic mental health staff have had tears in their eyes as they’ve spoke about some of the individual cases where they’ve been unable to find an appropriate place for some prisoners, which has at times led to tragic outcomes.

So how do we as designers make a difference for mentally ill offenders?

How can the design of mental health facilities aid recovery?

Here is a list of 6 proven design strategies that we’ve employed in our projects to create therapeutic mental health environments that aid recovery and rehabilitation.

1. Design for Therapy

Our physical environment is constantly influencing our emotions and general well-being. The layout of a room, space or building directly affects a patient’s perception of safety and privacy and impact their willingness to self-disclose and to build therapeutic rapport with clinicians and therapists. Poor layouts can exacerbate feelings of otherness, reduce communication, and have poor therapeutic outcomes.

Thomas Embling Mental Health Hospital, MAAP Architects & DesignInc

Careful consideration of the layout and amenity of a room is especially important for spaces where therapy and counselling services are facilitated. Consideration of colour, materials, lighting, aspect and furnishings can all help to create a comfortable therapeutic experience for emotionally vulnerable individuals.

The integration of sensory modulation elements that utilise weighted, movement, tactile, vibrating, squeeze, and auditory modalities to manage distress and agitation is a proven approach to regulate and de-escalate patient behaviours.

Effective sensory modulation practice increases service users’ awareness of their sensory preferences and assists them to manage their arousal through the application of sensory strategies. [5]

2. Prospect & Refuge

‘Prospect-Refuge’ is a theory that postulates that primal man is predisposed psychologically to like places where they can see without being seen, because their survival often depended on it. In a forensic mental health facility context, this means the creation of spaces where passive and discreet means of observation are utilised to reduce a patient’s perception of being watched.

Ginger Curtis on urbanologydesigns.com

Within indoor and outdoor communal spaces, the placement of furniture against walls and in smaller groups can create pockets of privacy where patients can withdraw themselves and have a sense of safety and seclusion. Long distance views to landscape areas beyond the communal spaces can further enhance the sense of prospect and comfort. Within bedrooms, the placement of beds against walls with a clear line of sight to the door, can help to provide a sense of physical security and comfort for patients with heightened paranoia.

3. Space

The size of indoor and outdoor communal spaces should be generous to enable patients to move around within the unit without feeling crowded or overly constrained.

The need for space cannot be overemphasised as a means of reducing the potential for aggressive behaviour, by way of wide corridors and recreation areas large enough to avoid crowding. [5]

The dayroom and courtyard spaces of forensic mental health facilities should be designed to facilitate communal gatherings of the cohorts within each unit but should also incorporate smaller pockets of privacy that patients can withdraw to whilst still being observed by custodial or clinical staff. The scale and volume of communal spaces should be varied to provide interest and to cater for the differing social and sensory preferences of the patients.

Ravenhall Correctional Centre, Guymer Bailey Architect. Photography by Scott Burrows

4. Natural Light and Artificial Lighting

Integral to biophilic design is the provision and quality of natural and artificial lighting, including the impact that lighting has on circadian rhythms.

Variations in ambient illumination impact behaviours such as rest during sleep, and activity during wakefulness, as well as their underlying biological processes. Rather recently, the availability of artificial light has substantially changed the light environment, especially during evening and night hours with nocturnal electric lighting shown to alter circadian rhythms and sleep patterns. On the other hand, light can also be used as an effective and non-invasive therapeutic option, to improve sleep, mood and general well-being.

Recently we have been working with lighting controls that adjust the colour tone and brightness of electric lighting to reflect natural lighting, and this has been shown to assist in regulating circadian rhythms, normalising sleep patterns and reducing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

5. Connection to Nature

Windows of bedrooms and communal living spaces that are positioned to capture views to landscape areas beyond the building have been shown to help to regulate patient behaviour. Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes patients feel better emotionally, it contributes to their physical wellbeing, reduces blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones.

The best form of interior design is a window!

Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre, Guymer Bailey Architects. Photography by Scott Burrows

Courtyards should be designed to reduce the patients’ sense of being contained and provide some form of sensory stimulus such as textured ground surfaces, shaded areas and attractive but sturdy fixed furniture. Where permitted by spatial and security constraints, raised garden beds, grassed terraces and undulations in the ground plane should be considered to create more defined spaces within the landscape providing they do not hinder passive surveillance.

6. Acoustics

Ravenhall Correctional Centre, Guymer Bailey Architect. Photography by Scott Burrows

The acoustic environment of a correctional centre is unique. Due to the need for the buildings to be constructed from robust, hard wearing and durable materials; communal spaces, corridors, cells and bedrooms generally have high reverberation rates. As a result, the sound of buzzing electric locks, clanging heavy steel doors, conversations and even footsteps are amplified throughout the patient areas.

Whilst this may just be an annoying nuisance for some, it can also be a recurring trigger that causes the behaviour of patients with a mental health illness to escalate. As such, special consideration is provided to managing acoustic reverberation within mental health and high needs units through careful use of appropriate absorptive material, design that avoids rectangular forms and acoustic separation between spaces.

What does the future hold?

With increasing community recognition of mental health conditions and the reduction in the stigma associated with treatment, the need for mental health services across all segments of the community will continue to grow. As the demand rises, there will be an ongoing need for new specialist facilities designed to cater for the unique needs of patients with a wide range of mental health conditions; as well as a need to upgrade existing facilities to introduce best practice rehabilitative design.

References

1. Victorian Ombudsman Report (2014).  Investigation into deaths and harm in custody, p.111.

2. Victorian Ombudsman Report (2015) - Investigation into the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners in Victoria, p. 32.

3. Victorian Ombudsman Report (2015) - Investigation into the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners in Victoria, p. 34.

4. Victorian Ombudsman Report (2014).  Investigation into deaths and harm in custody, p.114.

5. Sensory Modulation in Acute Mental Health Wards : Te Pou

Guymer Bailey Presents: 10 Queensland Boredom Busting Locations for School Holidays

The school holidays are nearly upon us and if you are like most parents, you are already dreading hearing “I’m bored!”

To save your sanity we thought we’d share some of our family-favourite Brisbane projects to bring you 10 boredom busting activities that are sure to be a hit with the kids these school holidays.

Please note that while we are still impacted by COVID-19 you may like to check the following locations to see what capacity they are operating in.

1. Frew Park Arena Play Structure, Milton

Photography: Scott Burrows Photographer

While the Arena Play Structure provides play experience for all age groups and abilities, it specifically targets players of 10 to 15 years. The play structure includes slides, climbing walls, swings, nets and ropes, hang-out spaces, and interactive spaces designed to fuel the imagination. It even features a Commentary Box, which is a steel-mesh box suspended eight metres above the ground, offering greater thrill to playground goers.

There is a reason why this multi-award-winning playground is a favourite of Brisbane kids and parents alike, the Arena Play Structure resembles no other playground around. Built on the grounds where the iconic Milton tennis stadium once stood, its theme ’deconstruction’ honours its history with contemporary play precincts that reflect stadium spaces.

2. Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve Rainforest Discovery Centre, Maleny

Photography: Scott Burrow Photographer

The Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve Rainforest Discovery Centre is an iconic conservation, education and tourism Centre located in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland with exceptional views of the Glass House Mountains. The Reserve is a living museum of the diverse plant life including a complex notophyll vine forest that once covered the Blackall Ranges

At the Rainforest Discovery Centre you can view the rainforest from above on the elevated Glider Gallery Boardwalk, learn more about the local flora and fauna through fun interpretive displays or take in the breathtaking view of the Glasshouse Mountains on the observation deck. You can grab a bite at the Mountain View Café or utilise the barbecues and picnic shelters near the playground.

3. Kings Beach, Caloundra

Photography : Scott Burrows Photographer

Looking for a day at the beach but wanting to avoid the busy beach areas of the Gold and Sunshine Coasts? Check out Kings Beach at Caloundra.

Take a walk along the beachfront boardwalk to explore the parkland, make a splash in the iconic Kings crown waterplay area, take a dip in the beachfront pool or enjoy a swim in the ocean.

There are also plenty of picnic and barbeque stations around the surrounding esplanade and grassed areas.

4. Queens Park Nature Centre, Ipswich

Photography: Guymer Bailey Landscape

The Queens Park Nature Centre offers a range of Australian wildlife exhibits that have been recreated to represent local bushland and habitats. Within the park you and the family will Get to see wombats, wallabies, emus, birds, and barnyard animals up close in beautifully landscaped gardens, all for a gold coin donation. Make a day of it by bringing a picnic and letting the kids have fun in the Queens Park playground across the road.

5. David Fleay Wildlife Park, Burleigh Heads

Photography: Scott Burrows Photographer

Located in Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast, the David Fleay Wildlife Park is home to many native animals and birds including eagles, brolgas, jabiru, owls, and cassowaries, as well as kangaroos, koalas, crocodiles, snakes, lizards, platypus, and dingoes.

A key highlight is the Fleay’s in Flight show where you get to see the wing spans and speed of the park’s birds of prey.

6. Maroochy Arts and Ecology Centre, Maroochydore

Photography: Scott Burrow Photographer

The Maroochy Arts and Ecology Centre is in the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Gardens and is a specialised arts and ecology interpretative centre that hosts activities and events, with a focus on exploring the relationship between art and nature. 

The Centre showcases green initiatives by mixing both passive design and active systems to allow visitors to witness ecological sustainability in practice through efficient solar, air and water use.

It is also a great opportunity to explore the Botanic Gardens around the Centre, that have been designed based on the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water, that shape and influence the natural landscapes of the Sunshine Coast.

7. Eumundi Markets, Eumundi

Photography: Guymer Bailey Landscape

World renowned, the Eumundi Markets are the biggest and best art and craft market in Australia. Open every Wednesday and Saturday, you will find beautifully handcrafted homewares, furniture, artworks, fashion, and jewellery as well as lots of fresh produce, baked goods, and gourmet delights.

8. California Lane, Fortitude Valley

Photography: Scott Burrows Photographer

California Lane is the newest Brisbane laneway precinct behind the popular Brunswick Street in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. The laneway aptly incorporates retro elements from the nostalgic years of California with pastel walls, neon signs and tall palm trees leading you back in time to the 1960s, honouring the old California Café, once located at Carroll’s Corner in Brunswick Street.

The laneway features boutiques, cafés, and eateries, making it an ideal spot for a different dining experience. While you are there, be sure to check out Bakery and Winn Lanes as well.  

9. Kingfisher Bay Resort and Hotel, Fraser Island

Photography: Kingfisher Bay Resort

This was our founding project way back in 1989 and it established the field of eco-tourism. Kingfisher Bay Resort and Hotel offers a unique holiday destination with villas, houses and the main hotel nestled into tree-covered dunes that overlook the Great Sandy Strait.

The Kingfisher Bay Resort and Hotel features four swimming pools, four restaurants, three bars, tennis courts and water sports, as well as a general store, gallery, and day spa.

10. The Local Aquatic Centre

Photography: Scott Burrow Photographer

If you’re lucky to find a warm day through the holidays why not take the kids to the local pool! We can personally vouch for the Clem Jones Aquatic Centre, Ferny Hills Aquatic Centre, Kings Beach Saltwater Pool and Maryborough Aquatic Centre, though let’s face it, on a warm Queensland day, any pool is a good pool.

Visualisation in Correctional Architecture

By Mitchell McDonald Roberts

Visualisation in correctional architecture can sometimes be overlooked, after all, what purposes do pretty pictures have in building prisons? However, visualisation serves a pivotal and surprisingly wide-ranging function when it comes to creating correctional facilities. Below I have outlined four, sometimes unexpected, ways visualisation helps us design, co-ordinate, and build better correctional facilities.

1. Conceptual Visualisation

Up until recently (historically speaking), architectural visualisations were created by pen and pencil, inked out by specialists commissioned by architects, to understand how their work would fit into the real world. With the advent of the computer and digital modelling, visualisation has become increasingly accessible to architects. Smart designers and firms quickly understood the value of fast and dirty, early stage renders to showcase form, materials, and context. On the back of efficient and high-quality 3D modelling, Guymer Bailey creates still images, walkthroughs, and virtual tours to aid in the design process. 

In correctional architecture, concept visualisations in the early stages of a project allow us to accurately understand our architecture in the way physical models did in previous eras. How does the sun impact our most sensitive spaces? How do adjacent buildings affect sightlines and sun shading? In what ways do materials affect the feel of our mental health facilities? 

In the early stages of a correctional project, Guymer Bailey focuses on accurately modelling our architectural, interior, and landscape concepts in 3D. Because of this rigor, it allows us to more comprehensively, and quickly, explore our project in a rendered environment, giving us better, real time, feedback. 

Render accuracy is extremely important, particularly in the early design phases, since detailed and well-executed visuals can denote issues and allow designers, engineers, and builders to anticipate potential complications that would otherwise require project compromises. A quality render can become a tool to getting the desired result at completion.  

- Hana Abdel "Renders vs. Reality, Projects From Renowned Architects: Before and After"

2. Visual Coordination

Pretty visualisations have their place, but on a day-to-day basis we need to understand how our building works, and so does our consultant team. Correctional architecture presents a myriad of technical and construction challenges that differ from other architectural typologies.

Services co-ordination, security integration, construction methodology, structural efficiency, just to name a few, are all far more critical to get right in the early stages of the project.  Employing visualisation for things like clash detection with services, understanding security sight lines, and staff/inmate experience, can help us find issues sooner and communicate solutions more easily.

3. Staff and Visitor Experience 

Up until now, we have discussed how visualisation can help the architect and the greater consultant team, but there’s a crucial group we are missing, and that's the operators and users of our correctional facilities. Staff, visitors, and key stakeholders are an important forethought in prison design, so how can visualisation help these groups? 

 “By virtually prototyping a space, facilities operators can get a good sense of how the facility will be like to walk through and to engage with.”

- Gohta Shiraishi, Senior Interior Designer, Guymer Bailey

Systems such as VR, virtual tours, and 360-degree panoramas, allow groups such as emergency response teams, security officers, health workers, and administration staff to accurately understand the spaces they will be occupying before it exists.  Riot control teams can understand and practice entering spaces and executing manoeuvres in virtual reality. Security officers can understand sightlines from officer posts and dayrooms. Admin staff can appreciate the visitor process and navigation more easily.

4. Building Excitement

Prisons aren't just for prisoners, there are also a huge amount of people invested in the quality outcome of a correctional project. As great as the pragmatic uses of visualisation are, having beautiful images and videos of correctional projects generates excitement. This allows the public and stakeholders to understand where their money is going, displaying the new facility to potential staff, and showing the onsite construction team what they are working towards, which is something that is frequently overlooked.

Forensic Mental Health Design: The Master Planning and Design of the Ravenhall Correctional Centre

With statistics from the National Mental Health Commission showing that prisoners are 2-3 times more likely to have mental illnesses and 10-15 times more likely to have a psychotic disorder, the Ravenhall Correctional Centre was a game-changer in the delivery of mental health services and prisoner rehabilitation.

The Ravenhall Correctional Centre, which opened in 2017, also included the design of the Ballerrt Yeram-boo-ee Centre, the largest prison-based mental health facility in Australia.

Due to the focus on rehabilitation, the Ravenhall Correctional Centre caught the interest of Dr. Elizabeth Grant CF, Associate Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at RMIT University.

Dr Grant’s paper, ‘RAVENHALL CORRECTIONAL CENTRE: THE MASTER PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF A MULTIFACETED, PEOPLE-ORIENTED PRISON FOR MEN WITH COMPLEX PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA’ has since been published in the Advancing Corrections Journal: Edition #9-2020.

Guymer Bailey Architects Director, Kavan Applegate, lead designer on the Ravenhall Correctional Centre, had the privilege of assisting Dr Grant with her research.

Kavan, who has a passion for rehabilitative correctional design is acutely aware of the crucial role design plays in creating an environment that makes rehabilitation and treatment both possible and desirable.

In his words, “Our environment changes how we interact with others and how we view ourselves. The master planning of secure accommodation needs to create communities that are engaging, uplifting, and interactive, and communicate a sense of safety and security, so prisoners are more likely to engage in rehabilitation and education programs.”

You can download Dr Grant’s full paper on Ravenhall through Academia and find part of the Abstract below.

“People with mental health issues are vastly overrepresented in the Australian prison system. This paper discusses the master planning and design of Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Victoria, Australia to increase outcomes for male prisoners living with physical, mental health disability and other conditions.

Major innovations in the design of Ravenhall Correctional Centre have included a forensic mental health unit on site, and the master planning of the prison into separate communities with a variety of housing types to provide prisoners opportunities to experience various levels of self-care and greater autonomy. The prison was designed to increase feelings of wellness, to provide program and training spaces to service various groups, and to allow prisoners to experience greater levels of individual control.

The project is discussed through an architectural lens to allow readers to understand the complexities of master planning and designing a major people-oriented, multi-faceted prison with a forensic mental health unit within the perimeter. The paper notes that large scale prisons may be designed in a more therapeutic manner where accommodation, facilities and programs can provide prisoners opportunities to connect with external environments, engage in meaningful activities and retain a level of autonomy and individual control.”

Read the full paper here.

Photography credit: Scott Burrows Photographer

Why harsh prison environments are not the answer

As leaders in correctional architecture, we often get a lot of questions around designing correctional facilities. One question that continually comes up is “shouldn’t prisons be harsh, so it’s a deterrent to committing crime?”

With this in mind, we thought we’d chat to director, Kavan Applegate the lead designer on Australia’s most innovative correctional projects, and Senior Architect and correction design specialist Paul Hayes to find out why their answer is a resounding “no”.

People are products of their environment

Kavan:

Our environment has a profound effect on us. It changes how we interact with others and how we view ourselves. Making an environment harsher will not help create a better person.

Every prisoner released will be interacting with society. So, my view starts with the foundational question of “what do we want those individuals to be like when they are back into the community, and what is the optimum environment to create the best citizens and neighbours?

The cycle needs to be broken

Kavan:

Good prison design must support prison operations to educate and rehabilitate prisoners so that they can create a better life. If life in prison is better than their life outside, it’s not because life inside is too good, but they need to be helped to make their life outside better than the life they have inside. A race to the bottom to make prisons worse than a drug and violence-filled life outside is counter-productive.

According to the Victorian Ombudsman 40% of all Victorian prisoners have been identified as having a mental health condition and prisoners are 10 to 15 times more likely to have a psychotic disorder than someone in the general community*. Prisoners are also often the victims of a violent upbringing, trauma and fetal alcohol syndrome. Creating a harsh environment won’t stop people with this background from committing crimes.

Prisoners are not committing crimes in a considered way of “If I do this, will I get away with it?” or “If I get caught then prison’s not so bad…” Research shows that crime is more driven from desperation, poor impulse control, or cognitive inability to make good decisions. Making a prison harsher doesn’t help that either.

Paul:

Over 1/3 of the prisoner population are homeless when they enter prison, and that percentage increases to 60-80% for people leaving prison. The comment “make the prison a nice place to be, at times often better than their home life and they’ll re-offend”, may be true in areas where homelessness is more prevalent, but this would be a sad state of affairs. Prison needs to be a place where rehabilitation can take place, and prisoners learn the skills, they need to make their outside life better.

Prisoners are not the only people within a correctional facility

Kavan:

What often gets forgotten is that staff have to work in these spaces. Imagine what it would be like as a staff member going inside every day into a harsh, lifeless facility where there’s an “us” and “them” mentality between staff and prisoners.

Plenty of research shows that this not only decreases mental health, it also increases staff suicide rates, heart disease, blood pressure and family breakdown. Some of the stories I’ve heard are gut-wrenching. On the other hand, when a rehabilitative approach is taken through the design and management of a correctional facility, the impact of change for staff when things are improved makes me teary for all the right reasons.

*Source: Victorian Ombudsman Investigation into the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners in Victoria 2015.

How COVID-19 has impacted commercial design

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes to the way we all work and operate. To explore these changes in more detail and look at how they will impact commercial design moving forward, we sat down with Senior Interior Designer, Gohta Shiraishi, to get his take on design in a post-COVID world.

How do you think the COVID-19 pandemic has changed commercial design?

Pre-COVID, the recent trend has been for many corporate organisations to consolidate their property portfolios and centralise their operations. Where previously they may have had several offices scattered around the metro area, many corporations have closed their scattered offices and moved their operations to large buildings in the CBD. They have been able to save real estate costs and operational costs with this consolidation with the added benefit of the prestige that CBD addresses bring.

But with the COVID-19 pandemic I think there will be a reversal of this mentality. Scattered offices in the outer urban areas provide a lot of potential benefits to their employees, mostly around commuting. In a post COVID world there will be more reluctance to use mass public transport and many workers will probably prefer closer workplaces that they can drive or better yet cycle to.

The ‘hub and spoke’ model will greatly facilitate this arrangement and help reduce the movement of people. This will be beneficial not only for future pandemics but also in easing the strain on our public transport system and road networks.

I believe the greatest change in commercial design will be driven by the collective workforce’s desire to have flexible working arrangements. We are likely to see fewer workstations on-site and more collaborative working spaces to support new working arrangements. There will be more digital connectivity to allow people to work from anywhere and potentially smaller office footprints with more sub-lease arrangements to streamline corporate property assets. 

How do you think the corporate world will respond to the new flexible model of working?

I believe that mixed working (home and in the office) is here to stay. The technology to be able to perform professional services work remotely has been around for quite some time; however, there has been a widespread reluctance to adopt it at such a broad scale. The COVID-19 paradigm has forced professional industries to adapt to a ‘working from home’ model and the last few months has proven that it can work just fine.

According to recent surveys conducted by WKspace based in the UK, most workers would prefer a mixed week of days in the office and days working from home in the post COVID world. Almost 50% of their respondents reported a preference for 2-3 days in the office.

From the same studies, 70% of respondents prefer to perform concentrated working from home, and a similar percentage at 65% prefer to perform collaborative work in the office. Interestingly there was only a slight majority at 54% that would prefer to conduct meetings in the office, and 68% prefer to socialise with colleagues in the office as well.

Based on these findings it’s easy to see a future where office spaces are geared up to be more like collaboration hubs for teams to come together, meet, discuss, delegate and then return home to complete their allotted tasks if suitable.

An interesting outcome of this co blend working environment of some people being at home and in the office is how video conferencing (VC) is being treated. Pre-COVID it was very typical to hold larger meetings in conference rooms with VC feeds to other conference rooms in other offices.

But with a potential mix of people being onsite or working from home, this presents some interesting challenges to that VC working arrangement. There is a fear of exclusion that comes about if there are only a few participants that are on VC with the rest of the participants being in person.

Therefore, it has become almost policy in some organisations where if one person is dialling in individually then everyone must dial in individually from their own PC/laptops, even if they are onsite. This creates a more level meeting environment and is a great equaliser.

Looking at our own organisation, Guymer Bailey, as an example, when we have VC meetings with our Brisbane and Melbourne colleagues we often dial in individually on our own devices, this way it is easier for an individual to be heard no matter where their location is.

I anticipate that there will be more demand for individual VC solutions, webcams, and headsets. There will also be a need for improved internet connectivity to facilitate such arrangements. When it comes to network infrastructure, I believe there will be an even greater transition to cloud-based networking solutions to mitigate the bottlenecking of office VPN connections and the like.

What about hot desks, are they a thing of the past now or here to stay?

It is likely that hot desks will become even more common. Sharing spaces may seem counterintuitive at first, but if you think about it, it is much easier to enforce a clean desk policy with a hot desk than it is with a dedicated workstation per person. Hot desks force people to be more mindful of what items they need to get their work done and avoid the build-up of the clutter.

This will make it possible for more thorough cleaning to be performed overnight and will be more hygienic, so long as a thorough and regular cleaning regime is in place. Also, dedicated workstations take up more real estate and it is likely that it will only be used half the time. So, I believe hot desks are more likely to become the norm, but with careful cleaning and sanitisation protocols. 

Are you finding projects are applying new design principles in response to COVID-19?

There have been several projects that are applying new design principles in response to COVID-19. Interestingly, most has been focused on immediate risk mitigation in the short and medium-term. So simple things like rearranging seating layouts to ensure social distancing and meeting the 4sqm per person density quotient.

Interestingly there is a collective expectation that there will be a return to normality, so long-term design planning has not been overly affected yet. In fact, some of our projects where we are performing COVID distancing modifications have funding contingencies to revert works back to a pre-COVID setting.

However, what we have seen is a greater priority put towards upgrading and future proofing ICT infrastructure to support remote working. Also, as the white-collar workforce transitions back to the office, we are already seeing staggered days of staff working onsite or from home to comply with distancing guidelines. As the world begins the road to recovery and as economic confidence returns, I believe it is likely that we will see the next revolution in office design come. I for one am very optimistic and excited about the future of commercial design.

About Gohta Shiraishi

Gohta Shiraishi has over 10 years’ experience in the retail and commercial interior design sectors. Having a background in Industrial Design, Gohta is highly focused on the human interface with the built environment and is passionate about creating well thought out design solutions that are as functional as they are aesthetically pleasing.

Considerations in special needs schools and autistic learning

By Pat Giles 

Going to Prep school when young can be a daunting thing. It may be your first time learning and playing outside of home, in a big new space surrounded by unfamiliar children and adults, and possibly the first time without a family member being there to give you comfort and feel safe.

These early memories form the foundation of your relationship with school, how you begin to socialise with others, and your motivation to be educated. They are the first steps in beginning a learning process that will be part of your life until early adulthood. It’s a pivotal moment that directly sets up your educational journey, the routine of school life, and the experiences that go with it.

For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (or ASD), this experience is even more challenging. As a diagnosis in early ages, it can manifest in difficulties communicating, restrictive and repetitive behaviour, and other symptoms hurting a child’s capability to function properly in everyday life. 

These children need selective attention as they are more sensitive to social behaviours and stimulants than typical (or ‘neurotypical’) children. It is in response to this treatment that special needs schools - early learning facilities equipped to cater to children with ASD - are established. As designers, it is our fundamental responsibility to ensure the architecture surrounding these children facilitates this stage of their learning, and the experience itself builds a positive connection with school moving forward.

Independent Learning

The aim of designing early learning schools for children with ASD is establishing a supportive setting where students can achieve autonomy for the mainstream education system in the years beyond graduation. For this to work, schools need a curriculum and infrastructure in place for these students to develop natural skills in learning, problem-solving, and independent thinking before they transition into regular primary schools.

These skills are a coping mechanism for children with ASD, which enable students to grow in confidence as they learn. These are derived from seven design principles catered to Autistic sensitivities; Acoustics, Spatial Sequencing, Escape Spaces, Compartmentalisation, Transition spaces, Sensory zoning, and Safety.

Coping Skills - Generalisation

As a term, Generalisation refers to students with ASD having the ability to feel comfortable learning in a mainstream school without special assistance. It usually involves the process of a child understanding the daily routine of a school day, participating in activities with other students, and adapting to tasks that require independent learning, problem-solving, and social interaction.* Generalisation can range in difficulty for Autistic children but is a necessary issue that must be overcome for successful integration to mainstream schools. 

Pathway to Learning Concept: Children with ASD

The Greenhouse Effect

This term is a label for environments catered too specifically to children with ASD, or if activities in a mainstream school setting are too unrecognisable. Consequently, a child is unable to cope in this space due to an unfamiliarity with general classroom activities and the structure of mainstream learning. Under these scenarios, the value of a prep school can be lost as a student requires re-education, placing their performance behind the standard curriculum.**

There are no absolute design methods for determining when children with ASD revert to using coping skills and when they exert general behaviour. The educational approach should be a healthy balance of both patterns, with architectural design assisting spaces in ensuring the ability to learn independently. 

Spatial Design

There are a few distinctions made in Architectural design that cater to children with ASD. They differ to regular classrooms and teaching spaces in mainstream schools. Still, these differences are crucial to ensure children work in comfortable environments with minimal distraction that encourages mental development and guide the routines of everyday school life.

A recent working model with these traits was developed in Guymer Bailey’s design for Western Autistic School in Niddrie. This exercise was through consultation with Irabina Autistic Services and the ASPECTSS Design Index***, which are evidence-based guidelines that help build environments for children with ASD. The layout of a new teaching block on-site was structured to create safe, internal courtyard enclosures linked by classrooms, allowing for external stimuli to be removed or controlled in different areas. 

Classroom Learning

A standard teaching space was designed as a single or double-classroom module, intended as flexible-use learning areas for various year groups ensuring the space could accommodate several learning programs without the need to re-purpose the teaching environment. Classrooms contain six to eight children at a time, with up to four staff to maintain supervision and concentration.

Sensory rooms and student amenities are directly adjacent to the classrooms and act as escape spaces that are easily accessible from both sides. Natural light is maintained at focused levels to control diffusion and avoid visual distraction.  Windows are slimmed to obscure outdoor activity and reduce glare and are strategically placed around outdoor landscapes to prevent external attention. Internal glazing with observation points to monitor children’s behaviour by staff and parents. 

Most importantly, retreat space is provided for escape from over-stimulation in the classroom, where children can feel safe and protected. Gardens are directly accessible from class, individualised to each room, and dispersed with soft, natural materials, colours and scents. These natural areas provide physical refuge but feel safe and protective while remaining under close staff surveillance.

Standard classroom model - teaching blocks

Standard classroom model - section

ASD classroom model concepts and realised teaching block layout

Natural Play

Playgrounds and open spaces can be intimidating for children with ASD. This distress comes from the child’s stimuli, where large areas full of sights and sounds can bombard the senses and provoke uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.

Autistic children have a general tendency to find engagement in free play more actively and equivalently than neurotypical children. However, social participation itself can be a struggle and can lead to solitary behaviour in playgrounds and outdoor spaces. This struggle to socialise with other children over time can manifest in personal difficulties like developing motor skills, balance, coordination and self-awareness.

Landscape design of the Western Autistic School, Niddrie

Playspaces should be designed in ways where children recognise, separate and control their surroundings, and in doing so, organically learn when to participate in group activities, retreat quietly, and move outside their comfort zone. In tangible form, this can be facilitated through equipment to coach a child’s stability (low-level balancing beams and stepper courses), coordination (rope climbing and climbing posts) and cognitive movement (stepper courses and run patterns), to allow safe play and provide outlets for expendable energy. 

Outdoor teaching spaces should be designed to provide safe, informal class settings that develop children’s familiarity with natural shapes, textures, and scents. In early learning, this is particularly encouraged, as providing a variety of natural materials and planting elicits emotive responses, builds focus and creates a calm, comfortable connection to the environment.

In this respect, landscape spaces for children with ASD form extensions of the learning processes happening in the classroom, with an underlining theme of naturality; the natural development of a child learning to cope with a range of emotional, social and physical differences; and the ability to foster this growth in a natural setting.

Perspective

 What has fascinated me the most about designing for children with ASD is that the planning process challenges a standardised approach to educational environments, and in doing so, demonstrates that physical changes in these spaces lead to safer and more productive classrooms to learn and build confidence in. 

Working with special needs schools, it’s encouraging to know there is a sincere effort to channel this form of learning by the staff and the school communities. This enthusiasm motivates us as design professionals to ensure our creative approach translates into buildings and landscapes that support young minds on the Autism spectrum.

About the Author

Pat Giles is a registered Architect and a valued member of our educational design team in Melbourne. He has managed projects of varying scales across multiple sectors in both Western Australia and Victoria. He brings a creative attitude to projects and enjoys the tasks of managing school projects and working in partnership with multiple specialists.

* Promoting Generalisation of Positive Behaviour Change

* Designing Buildings for Children with Autism

***National Autistic Society, Designs for Living

Town Planner Q&A: How are local councils responding in light of the pandemic?

We're certainly living in interesting times. As a result of COVID-19, our new business-as-usual is, well, unusual, and there has, understandably, been both uncertainty and caution in the market when it comes to proceeding with projects.

To do a quick temperature check of the South East Queensland market, we spoke to Town Planner, Angus Green, Director of Place Design Group about his dealings with the local and state governments and what it means for development approvals moving forward.

Are you finding the local government is responding differently as a result of COVID-19?

The Queensland State Government and Councils are keen to encourage economic growth through the development industry and are building a pipeline of shovel ready projects.

How is this impacting Development Approvals?

We see this as an opportune time to be submitting development applications within South East Queensland. The Local Government elections are over, and the Councils are now out of caretaker mode. Brisbane City Council has announced their Civic Cabinet with Cr Krista Adams being appointed the Planning Chair. 

We are pleased to be already seeing complex DAs which were previously hitting roadblocks during their assessment, resolved with a more development facilitation focus.

Do you have any further guidance for those currently deciding whether to proceed or hold back on projects?

 Another consideration is the impending State Government election in October. For potentially controversial DA’s it may be prudent to proceed with the concept development and pre-DA stages now but hold off on the actual lodgement of the application until after this election period.

However, this would only be relevant for a very small percentage of projects. In most cases the current environment is a significant opportunity to obtain better development outcomes. 

Guymer Bailey Announced Principal Consultant on Southern Queensland Correctional Centre

The Minister for Corrective Services, Mark Ryan, has announced Guymer Bailey Architects as the successful Principal Consultant for the new Southern Queensland Correctional Centre project near Gatton.

“I’m pleased to have Guymer Bailey Architects on board, as they have extensive experience in designing major infrastructure projects. When completed, this state-of-the-art facility will deliver approximately 1,000 beds for male prisoners. It will mean safer, less crowded, more effective prisons statewide, which will help reduce recidivism and keep communities safer.” he said.

Guymer Bailey Architects have been the lead design consultant on many of Australia’s most innovative correctional projects including the Hopkins Correctional Centre, Ravenhall Correctional Centre and Chisholm Road Prison Project.

Guymer Bailey Directors, Phil Jackson and Kavan Applegate, expressed that the team are thrilled to be working with the Queensland Government on the new Southern Queensland Correctional Centre.

“With the prisoner population growing across Australia, it’s vital that the current and future design of prisons have a greater focus on rehabilitation to reduce recidivism rates, we’re excited to be bringing this rehabilitative approach to the design of the new Southern Queensland Correctional Centre.” Phil Jackson said.

“The physical environment of a prison influences prisoners, staff, and visitors in a myriad of ways. This leaves us as architects of correctional facilities with a great opportunity, but also a substantial responsibility.” Kavan Applegate said.

According to Minister Ryan, the $618.8 million, 1000-bed facility is a landmark infrastructure project for the Palaszczuk Government and a historic investment in security safety.

The project, which is planned for completion in 2022-23, will be led by Guymer Bailey Associate Craig Blewitt, who specialises in creating therapeutic environments that promote rehabilitation.

“The design will utilise evidence-based practices to reduce recidivism through enhanced mental health, drug and alcohol rehabilitation services,” he said.

The new Southern Queensland Correctional Centre is the first new correctional centre built in Queensland since 2012. 

At the forefront of rehabilitative design

As prisoner numbers in Australia continue to break records rising 40% since 2012*, greater focus is being placed on reducing recidivism rates among offenders. With more than 20 years in the design, documentation and construction of prisons, leading correctional architect Kavan Applegate, believes the key to minimising recidivism rates is in rehabilitative design.

As the lead design consultant on many of Australia’s most innovative correctional projects including the $200 million Hopkins Correctional Centre expansion and the multi-award winning $670 million Ravenhall Prison Project, Kavan Applegate knows how crucial architecture is in secure environments.

 “Our environment has a profound effect on us. It changes how we interact with others and how we view ourselves. It reasons, therefore, that the physical environment of a prison influences prisoners, staff, and visitors in a myriad of ways. This leaves us as architects of correctional facilities with a great opportunity, but also a substantial responsibility.” Kavan said.

He continues, “Research demonstrates that if prisoners feel safe, they are more likely to engage in rehabilitation and education programs. With this in mind, master planning of secure accommodation needs to create communities that are engaging, uplifting, and interactive, and also communicate a sense of safety and security.”

Ravenhall Correctional Centre. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

Despite his strong passion for rehabilitative design, the Melbourne-based architect and director of multi-award winning architecture, landscape architecture and interior design practice, Guymer Bailey Architects, hasn’t always specialised in correctional architecture, in fact, getting into it was “by accident” he explains.

“I started to see the size and complexity of some of the correctional projects in the office and was keen to get involved. Once I started, I never escaped.”

While many people may wonder how design could have such a profound impact in the correctional environment, Kavan is resolved, to change behaviour, you must improve the environment. 

“As part of our design strategy for secure environments we create normalised environments as much as possible, so there is less institutionalisation, and the transition out of the prison system is easier. Increased access to daylight and external spaces, and minimising unnecessary auditory pollution are methods of decreasing stress levels and subconscious anxiety. They also enhance the likelihood of improved sleep, which is another key factor in improving physical and mental health.”

Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

He continues, “A calm physical environment is more likely to be a safe and secure environment. The removal of hiding spots through increased passive surveillance and clever planning solutions improve security and this, in turn, decreases user anxiety. Lighting solutions with optimal uniformity are more secure and help to create more pleasant spaces. We place a lot of emphasis on interfacing the design with the operational needs. And on this basis, a high-quality rehabilitative prison operating philosophy, combined with a rehabilitative design is the optimum framework for rehabilitative outcomes.”

According to Yvonne Jewkes, Professor of Criminology at the University of Kent’s School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, the main difference in Kavan’s approach is that he understands that good architecture is designing not for prisoners, but for people.

“Kavan is unusual, in my experience of prison architects, at least, in that his designs are underpinned by clinical and social scientific research evidence. Designing prisons to rehabilitate offenders is not easy, because of the systemic, structural and social disadvantages that most prisoners come from, and return to, on release from custody. Kavan understands this, but he also believes that prison design can make a profound difference to rehabilitative outcomes.”

She continues, “In part, it is about making practical decisions concerning where to situate key workers like prison officers, psychologists and teachers in relation to prisoners, how many workshops and classrooms are required, how prisoner movement can be facilitated to allow a degree of autonomy and choice, and so on. But these things are also about treating prisoners with decency, dignity and respect to help them on their rehabilitative journey.”

Hopkins Correctional Centre. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

According to Kavan, there will be a more significant push towards rehabilitative design in corrections as the government continues to combat rising prisoner numbers moving forward.

"We have seen notable changes in Australian correctional architecture, and many of these are State-based. Design in some States is definitely moving toward a more rehabilitative approach, especially influenced by Public Private Partnership (PPP) prison projects. The aim for ‘normalisation’ of correctional architecture has had a lot of traction, and in the future I believe this will significantly increase, drawing from contemporary education, university accommodation, and specialised health and mental health typologies."

He continues, "Counter to this, there has been a significant increase in the number of remand prisoners throughout Australia, which has required additional accommodation to be quickly put to market, often within existing secure facilities. This increase in bed numbers within an existing secure perimeter often results in more segregation of prisoner cohorts to manage prisoner movements and congregations. It is then incumbent on the skills of correctional architects to do all possible to retain or enhance the rehabilitative focus in even more contained and intense environments."

Statistic source: *Corrective Services, Australia, June quarter 2018, Australian Bureau of Statistics http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4512.0

The importance of considering staff wellbeing in correctional design

If you are like most people, when you think of prisons, you think of the prisoners and the importance of keeping them inside to prevent further hurt or disruption to society.

While the quality of the built environment plays a big role in achieving this, it is the correctional staff, the people who come into prison every day to carry out their job successfully, that make the biggest difference in running an efficient and effective correctional facility.

It will come as no surprise that correctional work can take a big toll on staff, with many experiencing daily physical and mental stress. The effects of these pressures can also have a significant impact on staff morale, performance and turnover. Staff in a secure environment don’t have the luxury of stepping outside the workplace for their lunch break or picking up their mobile phone to speak to someone for a few minutes to clear their head either, as many of us do.

For this reason, the environment and facilities provided for staff are even more important than in a regular workplace. So how, as designers, can we ensure prison designs consider not only the security and rehabilitation of prisoners but also the wellbeing and performance of staff?

To tackle this question, I spoke with a medical practitioner who recently completed some seasonal work in a prison, to see how the design and build environment had impacted her day-to-day at work.

Connection to nature

According to the medical practitioner, it can be hard to forget you are in a correctional environment.

““While some meeting rooms can feel like you are in a regular office building, it can be hard to escape the environment that surrounds you. The staff tearoom and other staff areas still feel like you are in a prison due to the views of walled courtyards, staff in uniform and codes being called over the PA.” ”

When asked what would help with the mental and physical strain of the job? It was a connection to nature.

In his book, Building for Life: Designing and Understanding the Human-Nature Connection, Stephen Kellert states, that work settings with attributes such as natural lighting and natural ventilation can improve worker satisfaction, enhance performance and reduce stress.

The ability for workers to see the sun, sky and trees can provide mental space through the day and the energy and connection that is often be lacking in these spaces.

Window placement and fence design

Another challenge revealed in the interview was the placement of windows. While they can provide a connection to daylight spaces and the outside environment, if they aren't placed well, they won't be utilised.

““Where I worked, the window placement allowed prisoners to see into our office space if we had the blinds up. This was uncomfortable for both parties – them watching us and us watching them. As a result, we often kept the blinds down.””

To avoid the situation from happening, it is essential for designers to carefully consider the positioning of staff areas in buildings and the relationship to prisoner areas. If possible, landscaping should be used to create visual barriers between staff and prisoners. Trees and planting outside windows can revitalise and inspire staff, especially in break areas.

It is also good to push the boundaries with fencing. Designers need to think beyond the standard brick or blockwork fence and find materials that are robust, safe and secure, but don’t have the institutional feel.

Materials that contrast the grey of blockwork and concrete

The overall design of the prison can also have an impact on staff. Prisons are getting bigger and, in many ways, becoming mini-cities with different building types and functions being carried out. Choosing materials that contrast the grey of blockwork and concrete can create a visual difference that eases the eye as they navigate different areas.

Abigail Wild, an undergraduate student of neuroscience, with a PhD/MPhil Criminology from Cambridge, states that "The material does not have to be of the natural kind but can be a representation." Due to the limiting material choices in a secure environment, using biophilic design principles to help improve health and wellbeing of users can be opened up by the idea of materials providing a representation of the natural world to provide contrast against the grey concrete.

To create spaces that consider the wellbeing of correctional staff, designers must continue to push the boundaries and acknowledge the trends and changes in traditional office design to see what can be utilised in a secure environment.

Not only will this have a positive effect on staff wellbeing and performance, but it will also have a positive impact on prison operations.

About the Author

Alexandra Kennedy is a registered architect and a valued member of our correctional design team. With over ten years’ experience in architectural design, documentation and contract administration, Alexandra has managed projects of varying scales, across multiple sectors in both Queensland and Victoria. She brings a creative yet methodical approach to design and enjoys the challenge of managing complex projects and collaborating with multiple consultants.

Designing the Guymer Bailey Melbourne Studio

The Guymer Bailey Melbourne team have been in their home at the “top of the hill” in Camberwell for just over two years now. In some ways, we are still settling in, with work continuing. Recently, we changed some of the fixed windows to operable louvres to allow for fresh air through the office and our “booths”, secluded seating pods that resemble phone booths are currently under construction.

Starting with an empty floor, many of the team have had hands on involvement in the development of the studio, including the design, building and constructing our own furniture.

To find out more about the aspirations for the Melbourne Studio we sat down for a Q&A session with Senior Architect, David Ash, who played the lead role in the design and construction of the office fitout.

Using three words how would you describe the concept for the Melbourne studio design?

Collaboration, transparency, democracy.

Where did the inspiration come from?

Our inspiration and design ideas came from the aspirations we have for the practice. This was one of the first “collaboration” projects amongst the senior staff in the office and we got to think about and decide what our office needed to be, and what we wanted it to be like, in terms of the culture and the direction.

What was the most challenging aspect of having our own studio as a project?

The short timeframe and budget. As we were moving out of our old office space and into a new one, we had to factor in the decision making of where we were moving to first.

There was no set budget to begin with, but after we did the initial design and got it tendered, that gave us the benchmark/reality of what we were aiming to achieve. We also had to consider the cost of relocating the entire office, and other related overheads so we had to be realistic with what we could and couldn’t do.

Having said that, constructing to a budget does assist in the design and evaluation process and in our case assisted us in filtering through our priorities – with extremely positive outcomes.

What’s the most rewarding aspect?

I’d have to say the collaboration and the way everything came together. There were a few hiccups along the way, but through open discussions and a shared vision there was a strong design consensus.

Having been out of the main studio and on site for almost five years (including one year at a project office) it was good to get back into the design headspace. There were so many design ideas piled up! I had a lot of aspirations about materials, for example timber, and many of those personal design ideas were incorporated into the final build, so this is rewarding too.

Which element are you the most excited about?

The collaboration space in the middle of the office. It reinforces all the ideas of creating a collaborative design studio and process, and it’s a significant space in the office.

How do you know which ideas to keep and which ones to let go?

When you have a solid concept it’s easy to tell which ideas can be let go. For example, I wanted to design curved timber walls, but instead we did plasterboard, which was more economical. We kept the form, but it wasn’t imperative to keep the timber.

What is your favourite thing about our Camberwell studio?

The culture created by the office fitout. We are on our way to a more collaborative approach to design. While the mindset of the industry now is focused on tight project timeframes and the speed at which multiple projects can be completed, through the studio fitout, particularly the collaboration table, we aim to put more emphasis and importance on the design process.

Nine key considerations in court design

Like all design exercises, there is a range of considerations when designing for Courts. Through this article, we will explore nine of these considerations – humanity, symbolism, tradition, innovation, security, efficiency, workplace, safety and technology – and how they influence the way we design justice architecture.

1. Humanity

One of the reasons “courtroom dramas” feature so heavily in books and movies is the heightened emotions and various tensions surrounding most judicial events. This, combined with the potential for the justice system to be seen as imposing and institutional, can create a de-humanised experience.

A key challenge for court designs is to mitigate, or at least not exacerbate, the feelings of anxiety, fear or intimidation that many feel when thrust into the Court system. The designer needs to be aware of issues around dignity, legibility and equity in contemporary courtroom design.

How does this translate to bricks and mortar or chairs and tables? A good example here is the question of the witness stand or dock.

“Research suggests that a defendant sitting in a glass-encased dock is twice as likely to be convicted…. Meanwhile, the jury is out on whether body language can be interpreted – should witness boxes conceal the person giving evidence? …and should a jury table be round, oval or rectangular, to avoid one person being seen as unequal?”

Ray Edgar, “New Shepparton court building tackles stress through design” The Age 12/03/2018

2. Symbolism

Photography by: Scott Burrows Photographer

Courts are steeped in symbols and symbolism. This makes the need to harness or control the symbolic content of any court design a crucial element of the design.

Metaphor and ritual play a strong role in courts, from Themis (Lady Justice blindfolded with her sword and scales) on down. At Shepparton, the town's strong Koori culture features in the court entrance. Wrapped layered timbers abstract the Koori court logo of a giant tree and its roots. The projecting layers suggest a canopy, a metaphor for a protective and secure meeting place. The tree motif extends throughout the building and is inlaid into the Koori court table.

Ray Edgar, “New Shepparton court building tackles stress through design” The Age 12/03/2018

Symbolism ranges from the grander, large scale gestures such as the ‘tree’ as a central metaphor at Shepparton Courts of Law, a project designed in partnership with Architectus, to small elements such as having judges positioned a step or two above the majority of the court.

We're trying to make less of the authoritarian symbols visible, so it becomes more inviting, less threatening. Our focus is the support of occupants through these processes. For us, that's what a modern court building is about.

Mark Wilde, Architectus

3. Tradition

Photography by: Scott Burrows Photographer

As a key institution in the social fabric of modern society, Courts come freighted with layers of tradition. Many are essential to preserve and foster; others deserve to be challenged as to whether they meet contemporary expectations.

Which is which? An example of a tradition to foster is the viewing gallery which allows proceedings to be witnessed by any member of the public to ensure transparency and oversight. In contrast, the opportunity to innovate with technology illustrates where a traditional value (the right to see your accuser in court) can be adapted to modern practices.

Traditionally, courts would have been closed rooms employing rich detailing and prestige materials to reinforce the serious nature of proceedings and authority of the court. A contemporary change in court design is to create courts that are light, open and transparent with a clean, sophisticated use of materials.

An equally powerful and consistent metaphor is told through the building's materials – the court is either transparent or, for reasons of privacy, translucent.

Ray Edgar, “New Shepparton court building tackles stress through design” The Age 12/03/2018

4. Innovation

One consequence of tradition in courtroom design is the opportunity for innovation. A good example here is the increasing use of in-court technologies in most judicial systems. Remote witness testimony allows vulnerable witnesses to appear and testify without the stress that can flow from being close to the accused. From the simple proposition of telepresence flows a range of physical, psychological and logistical considerations for the architect designing the spaces.

Another example of innovation which impacts court design is the expansion of third-party support services such as the Court Network, Cubby House or therapy dogs. Increasingly these are viewed as important ‘soft’ support services, which are included in courthouses to assist people navigating the stress and strains of the judicial process. With each comes a web of proximities and relationships to consider, as well as the physical space and infrastructure for them to operate.

5. Security

The consideration of security comes in to play in a range of ways. Firstly, and possibly most obviously in a post 9/11 world, there is a need for venues to be secure from hostile intent. Many of these important issues are addressed well before attendants reach the courtroom through screening or scanning, control of access or surveillance.

Next is the thought that some in attendance may be in custody and literally, need to be secured. For prisoners or remandees in custody, this involves a considerable ‘back-of-house’ infrastructure leading to their arrival in court. Courts are also the location for confidential matters with other security considerations, for example, acoustic privacy.

6. Efficiency

Photography by: Guymer Bailey Architects

The delivery of justice and the court system in general, are a costly public service, which all Courts are well aware of and seek to improve. In addressing this, all courts seek to be efficient, while striking a delicate balance with being thorough. A similar balance needs to be struck in designing the spaces and place in a court. The obvious example here is circulation in a courthouse or court complex.

In most court projects there are at least four separate systems of circulation – public, staff, judges and persons-in-custody. There can also be separate paths for jurors and witnesses, particularly vulnerable witnesses. At face value, this is incredibly inefficient and requires considerable space, even multiple elevators leading to attendant expense. However, the need for judges and staff to be at ‘arms-length’, for witnesses to feel safe and those in custody to be securely held are more over-riding priorities than the simplest, minimum configuration of circulation.

An example of good efficiency gains on the design front can be found in great wayfinding. Enabling practitioners, the public and staff to move efficiently to a destination through clear signage and logical adjacencies provides effective efficiency.

Scale and space help people avoid confrontation. Clear wayfinding is also important.

Ray Edgar, “New Shepparton court building tackles stress through design” The Age 12/03/2018

7. Workplace

Photography by: Guymer Bailey Architects

Another consideration in the design process is approaching the design as a workplace – since it is for judges, counsel, court staff, etc. Some of these are employees of the court; others are in court as a part of their working day. An example of the impact of considering this in the design is evaluating screening systems and who is able to skip this process due to prequalification.

Some courts allow legal practitioners to have access passes. Others require all legal practitioners and police prosecutors, their paperwork or electronic evidence and so forth, to pass through screen systems. This simple choice significantly changes the process of arriving at court and the times and space involved.

Another example is the incorporation of opportunities for landscaping, plants and biophilia. A great example of this is the hanging gardens and breakout areas included in QEII Courts of Law in Queensland.

8. Safety

Safety and security are related, but different considerations. A secure facility can restrict access to only peoples expected to be there, but if it allows a distressed person to be violent, then it is unsafe. Safety also ranges from the physical to the emotional. An example of this is providing segregation between parties in conflict, or between judges and the public.

While these are important, technical aspects to get right in the design, due to the nature of the adversarial justice system, the key consideration for designers regarding safety is the creation of an emotionally safe space, where intimate, personal, or painful matters can be explored to establish truth, trust and deliver justice.

"It noted significant deficiencies…It wasn't really a safe environment…because [people are] often exposed and having to share the same space as the perpetrators."

Ray Edgar, “New Shepparton court building tackles stress through design” The Age 12/03/2018

9. Technology

Like most of modern society, evolving technology is having significant impacts on the operation of courts. This ranges from the inclusion of remote access/witness programmes to the use of multimedia, trial management systems or physical aids like iPads in use for juries. Our experience across numerous jurisdictions shows the careful consideration courts apply to the technologies that are beneficial.

A good example of the maximised inclusion of technology in courts can be seen in the Moot Court at Monash University. Created as a teaching space, it is also very much an exploration of what the next steps for integrated technology in courtrooms can be in the near future.

As you can see, the design of courts requires a complex, multifaceted consideration of the technical and intangible aspects that are part of the modern court. All play a part in the success of the spaces created, whether it is the layout, material selection, acoustics or embedded symbolism.

A Tribute to Ralph: Q&A with Guymer Bailey Landscape’s Rob Waddell

This year we say goodbye to our remaining founder, Ralph Bailey, as he heads into retirement. As an AIA Life Fellow, Ralph has had an impressive career spanning five decades and has built a reputation for designing award-winning architecture and landscaping in the community, education, corrections, justice and resorts sectors.

To honour Ralph, and celebrate his time here at Guymer Bailey, we sat down with Principal Landscape Architect, Rob Waddell, who has had the privilege of being mentored by Ralph over the last two decades. We hope you enjoy, as we have, getting a small glimpse into the impact Ralph has had, and the legacy he leaves behind.

How long have you known Ralph?

I’ve known Ralph since I was six years old. I went to primary school with Ralph’s son Luke. He also gave me my first Landscape Architecture job back in 2002 when I was 19 years old and a 3rd year student.

If you had to capture Ralph in just a few words, how would you describe him?

A passionate, dedicated and talented architect, a reliable friend and mentor, and as stubborn as a mule!

What have you learned from him as a mentor?

Ralph has taught me more than anyone in terms of design and technical skills. He has also taught me to back yourself and advocate strongly for what you believe in – particularly with regards to design.

Do you have a favourite moment?

There are many. Though the best would have to be receiving the QLD Architecture Medal for the Frew Park Arena Play Structure together with Ralph. The project epitomises the true collaborative working relationship we’ve had for many years. That and the lovely speech he gave at our wedding.

On the lighter side, Ralph has been a pretty good sport when the subject of practical jokes, some of which were instigated by me. Years ago, I doctored a fake letter from a Queensland Police client saying Guymer Bailey had been terminated from a project due to Ralph’s unpaid traffic offences. We had to tell him it was a joke to stop him from ringing the client. He was pretty annoyed initially, but months later he eventually saw the funny side.

Another memorable moment was at the Anderson Street Office. Ralph is a notorious hoarder and his old workspace used to resemble a human sized bird’s nest. One time his desk collapsed under the weight and all the paper flew out across the mezzanine and showered down on everyone working on the lower level.

Lastly, there was the time he accidently heated his meat pie in the microwave for 20 minutes instead of two minutes on the weekend. He smoked out the office and the meat pie had completely petrified to the microwave plate. Ralph was so amazed that he kept it to show everyone the next Monday.

What is the best advice Ralph has given you?

Earning the trust of the client is of the utmost importance and this means approaching each project with conviction and fighting for what you believe in.

What will you miss most with him retiring?

His presence. There is always a comfort knowing that he is available and nearby to provide assistance, support or advice.

What legacy do you think he leaves behind in the company and sector as a whole?

The company carries his name, which is synonymous with quality and architecture and high standards in customer service.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the role it plays in correctional design

By Craig Blewitt

Have you ever noticed how some built spaces feel inherently comfortable and homely, and others can feel unwelcoming and unnerving? From a design perspective, there are many factors behind this dichotomy – scale, materiality, orientation to name but a few.

As designers, we always aim to create comfortable and welcoming spaces, but have you ever paused to wonder how that feeling of being truly comfortable is created on a psychological level? Instead of thinking about what a place needs for us to feel comfortable, perhaps we should be asking the reverse - what do we need to feel comfortable in a place?

If you’ve ever taken an introductory psychology class, you’ve more than likely heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory. Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to needs higher up. If we start at the bottom of the hierarchy and move upwards, the needs are physiological, safety, love or belonging, esteem, cognitive, aesthetic, self-actualisation and transcendence.

The bottom four needs are characterised as deficiency needs. These needs arise from deprivation and are said to motivate people when the need is unmet. The motivation to fulfil deficiency needs becomes stronger, the longer they are denied. For example, the longer you go without food, the hungrier you are. The top four needs are characterised as growth needs. These stem not from the lack of something, but from a desire to grow as a person.

All sounds a bit too cryptic and abstract? Stick with me; it gets interesting when you apply this theory to the buildings and spaces we live in and view their design through this lens. For me, it gets even more interesting when you apply the theory to my area of expertise, the design of correctional facilities.

In many ways, the hierarchy that Maslow has given to human needs mirrors the progression that we aim for prisoners to experience during their time inside. Firstly, they are given accommodation and a place in which they hopefully feel safe (the basic needs).

Then, through programs and counselling, they try to repair relationships and rebuild their sense of self-esteem (the psychological needs). Finally, with education and rehabilitative support, prisoners hopefully reach a point where they have the skills and confidence to rejoin society upon their release (the self-fulfilment needs).

If the ultimate goal is for prisoners to progress to through the needs to reach the self-actualisation stage (rehabilitation) and the transcendence stage (helping others), then we need to consider what we can incorporate into designs to help each of the preceding needs to be met.

Ravenhall Correctional Centre. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

Physiological needs

While all prisons provide the basic needs of shelter and food, the design of facilities determines how well these needs are met. This includes the provision of natural ventilation for fresh air, heating and cooling to maintain a comfortable temperature range and acoustic treatments that allow for a quiet place for rest. All of these areas help in meeting the physiological needs of prisoners.

Safety needs

Creating an environment that feels safe for both staff and prisoners is always a challenge. The knee jerk reaction is often to create physical barriers to separate prisoner groups from each other and staff.

But simple things like designing in good passive surveillance, encouraging interaction between prisoners and staff, and the creation of spaces that range from private areas of seclusion to larger communal spaces, can often have a greater effect in making a correctional facility feel safe.

Love and belonging needs

We often, quite rightly, focus on destressing and normalising the experience for visitors so that prisoners can maintain a connection to loved ones. However, to properly address the need for ‘belonging’, our designs also need to enable a sense of community within correctional facilities, particularly for prisoners with longer sentences. Small things like creating gardens that prisoners can look after, and the installation of prisoner artwork can create a sense of ownership and belonging.

Hopkins Correctional Centre. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

Esteem needs

A great example of building self-esteem through design is the design of spaces that cater for people with disabilities to provide them with an increased sense of dignity and independence. The same focus on increasing dignity and independence can also be applied to the design of correctional facilities.

Technologies such as full-body scanners can improve prisoners sense of dignity through reducing the need for strip searches, the use of self-catering facilities for meals and laundry can improve prisoners sense of independence, and the provision of educational programs can provide prisoners with a sense of achievement. All of which can help improve prisoners sense of self-worth.

Cognitive needs

Inside a correctional centre, the freedom to learn and absorb knowledge can often be restricted by the environment. However, technology is making information and learning more and more accessible to prisoners.

About the Author

Craig Blewitt is one of our most experienced correctional architects, managing all correctional and justice projects in our Brisbane Studio and assisting on the large correctional projects managed by our Melbourne Studio.

What is a DA and BA?

By Suzanne Goodson

Have you ever wondered what the terms DA and BA mean? It's quite common to hear the acronyms DA and BA thrown around by the architects, planners and building certifiers working on your project. To help you, here we explain what a Development Approval (DA) and Building Approval (BA) are - and what you need to know about them.

What is a Development Approval (DA)?

To carry out certain types of developments, an application may need to be made to the Local Authority for a development permit. The development application provides information about the proposed development to enable the Council to assess the application properly.

Depending on the type of development proposed, the application may likely require information about what the development will look like, the proposed materials, and any impacts it may have on the surrounding environment.

Development applications are assessed under the Planning Act 2016.

Development Application steps:

We recommend a specialist (Town Planner) is engaged for the process of determining if a Development Approval is required. They have a detailed understanding of local authority requirements and the local City planning instruments.

• Preparation – if a DA is required, the Town Planner will prepare a report to explain the proposed development. Our drawings will form part of the submitted material to Council

• Lodgement – Once lodged the packages can be tracked through Council. Council can request clarification and ask questions during this period. Often queries are raised as RFIs (request for information)

• Referrals (in some cases) – sometimes your proposal may trigger additional referral agencies. This is if your development impacts them in some way. For instance, agencies such as Transport and Main Roads, Heritage or Department of Natural Resources and Mines.

• Public notification - This is a statutory period of time in which the project proposal must be advertised to give residents, neighbours and the public an opportunity to lodge their concerns.

• Assessment – The Council then assess the application. This can take several months. The Town Planner may be able indicate approximate time frames.

• Making changes to your application - Throughout the process, development applications may be modified by the applicant. Depending on the nature of the change, some steps of the assessment process may need to be repeated.

What you need to know:

• The Local Council dictates timeframes. Some properties don't require a DA, some can be fast-tracked and dealt within months, and others trigger several processes and referral agencies which can take years.

• Town planners are the specialists in this field and should be commissioned early to provide the best advice. We work alongside Town Planners preparing drawings and documents to support the application.

• The local authority sets the application fee, and the client must pay them to proceed. Infrastructure charges are also charged depending upon the nature of the project and complexity.

• Clients should be aware this process is entirely out of our hands (as architects) and controlled by the Local Authority. We will facilitate the process by providing prompt responses, help and assistance where possible.

What is a Building Approval (BA)?

A Building Approval is also referred to as 'certification'. It is required for developments that involve carrying out building work under the Planning Act 2016, as well as under specific building legislation.

Building approvals require assessment against the Building Code of Australia (or the National Construction Code) and each States Building and Plumbing Regulations. These codes and regulations are mainly concerned with issues such as:

• Structural safety and stability

• Appropriate fire protection and safety

• Pest protection (termites etc.)

• Adequate sewer and drainage

• Meeting minimum energy and water efficiency standards (often referred to as ESD – Environmentally Sustainable Design)

While building approvals are usually issued once for a specific structure or building, building legislation may require various technical inspections at different stages of the building process, including completion.

An accredited private Building Certifier needs to issue a Building Approval. Your Certifier is responsible for lodging building approvals and certification information with the Council.

What you need to know:

• The Building Certifier does not deal with the development approval or town planning matters (other than confirming compliance) including specific regulatory overlays such as heritage and character buildings or protected vegetation.

• The Building Certifier will need to review lots of documents and certificates regarding the compliance of the design and the completed physical build.

• They require Certificates from other building professionals such as Registered Engineers (Structural, Hydraulic, Electrical, Mechanical etc.) in the form of “Form 15s” in Queensland to attest to the fact that that particular design component is in keeping with Australian standards and other regulations.

• The Certifier will request certificates from the builder/contractor that ensure the project has been built in accordance with the endorsed design.

• Building work that impacts on stormwater infrastructure or sewer infrastructure may require a “Request to Build Over Infrastructure Application“ to be lodged with the Local Authority and/or Utility.

• Stormwater for your property needs to be connected to a legal point of discharge and requires the same Engineering compliance and forms.

• Changes and additions of vehicle crossings and driveway gradients require an Operation Works Approval.

• We suggest the early engagement of your Certifier to allow for compliance advice during the planning stages and avoid abortive work.

• Timeframes vary and depend on the complexity of your project and the Certifiers workload.

• A stamped approved set of drawings must be kept on the construction site.

About the Author

Suzanne Goodson has more than two decades’ experience in architectural design, documentation and contract administration, and has been the project architect for numerous commercial, residential, multi-residential, judicial, leisure and education projects. As an associate Suzanne also acts as the Marketing and Quality Systems Manager at Guymer Bailey, ensuring our client’s needs stay at the forefront of designs to deliver high-quality projects that exceed expectations.

Biophilic Design in Prisons

By Rachel Hur

Scenario

Imagine that you are in a cubicle located in the middle of the office floor plate. Your office has a glazed front, but you are looking into another open office. You have no real window or view to the outside, so you can't tell if it's raining outside or sunny. If you are lucky, and you do have a window, it's fixed, and you are looking into an office in the neighbouring building that is five metres away.

The fluorescent lighting that you sit under for eight hours has thrown out your body's natural circadian rhythm. The ventilation is alright, but you start to feel droopy at around 3pm because the carbon dioxide levels in your shoebox have risen. It might even feel a bit stuffy, regardless of the door being open or closed. As you don't have an operable window, you have been breathing in recycled air all day. When you get outside and take a breath, you will instantly notice that the air outside is fresh.

Now multiply that by five days a week, 48 weeks a year. Maybe you will get a pot plant in a few weeks.

The Biophilia Hypothesis

Exposure to the natural world is essential for human wellbeing because humans have an innate connection with the natural world (Gills).

It sounds obvious, doesn't it? But how often do we rely on the natural world to recharge and reconnect? We live in a world full of distractions and in a culture that prioritises efficiency, quick change and instant gratification. Is it any wonder that the rates of anxiety and depression are increasing, and our knowledge and awareness of mental health issues and mindfulness are growing to combat this?

We need the natural environment now more than ever. To look beyond the concrete jungle that has become our normal life, and find moments to breathe, destress and recover. Nature has been there all along, patiently waiting for us to stop, take a breath and recharge.

What does this have to do with design and architecture, you might ask?

Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

Biophilic Design – what is it?

Biophilic design philosophy encourages the use of natural systems and processes in design to allow for exposure to nature. Exposure to nature has been found to have positive responses on human psychology and physiology in contribution to improved health and wellbeing (Gills, Soderlund).

It is the integration of the biophilia hypothesis into design. Biophilic design has been further incorporated into environmental psychology theories of Attention Restoration Theory and Stress Recovery Theory. Both theories suggest that there are stressful and non-stressful environments and that non-stressful environments can actively help people recover from stress and fatigue (Gills).

These theories are supported by studies that have found that exposure to nature reduces heart rate variability and pulse rates, decreases blood pressure, lowers cortisol and increases parasympathetic nervous system activity, while lowering sympathetic nervous system activity (Soderlund).

Biophilia is not merely about providing trees and greenery, but consists of different natural layers, which can be divided into direct experience of nature (light, air, weather), indirect experience of nature (natural materials, evoking nature) and the experience of space and place (prospect and refuge, organised complexity).

What do we do with it?

As we specialise in correctional facilities here at Guymer Bailey, we strive to create humane environments that allow for rehabilitation. One of the key ways we do this is using biophilic design.

Let's face it; prisons are known to be "not nice". When we look at the statistics, 44.8% of prisoners released during 2014 – 2015 returned to prison within two years across Australia.

With a design focus on rehabilitation and not punishment, part of this rehabilitation is creating therapeutic spaces and calm environments where people can feel safe and secure. A lot of our decisions in the design process are around biophilic design such as providing access to natural light and fresh air, views to the landscape and use of colour and materials.

Enhancing living quality doesn't have to be complicated or expensive, it just comes down to prioritising and efficient design, and in the case of our secure facilities, the balance with security requirements.

Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre, a project completed almost a year ago in the Grampians Region, is an example of successful biophilic design implementation with views out beyond the perimeter fence to the mountains, natural light in every room for both residents and staff, and either operable windows or natural ventilation units in every room across the site. Timber has also been used internally and externally, and we retained as many existing trees as possible to keep that connection to nature. So far, we have received positive staff feedback about the therapeutic design of the facility and the benefits of being able to open all the office windows.

Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

What can you do with it?

Biophilic design can reduce stress, improve cognitive performance and positively impact emotions and mood. What's more, it can be implemented in all typologies, including residential, education, commercial, health, and as you have seen corrections. We've even started to implement it in our own studios.

Our Brisbane studio has many operable windows, granted Brisbane has much better weather than Melbourne! In Melbourne, we are restricted from major modifications because we're on the fifth floor of a building but have a row of potted peace lilies to help filter the air. We have also recently replaced a fixed window with operable louvres, and even though it's only one, we've already started feeling the difference in the air (and no, it's not just the cold air of winter!). The CO2 levels are lower on that side of the studio as well.

It's not the easiest thing to change in a building already built, but biophilic design is something that we can design into new projects. Hospitals are seeing the benefits of biophilia for patients and have started building in courtyards and windows. Prisons are doing it; schools are doing it. When will you start doing it?

References

Gillis, K., Gatersleben, B. "A Review of Psychological Literature on Health and Wellbeing Benefits of Biophilic Design"

Soderlund, J., Newman, P. "Improving Mental Health in Prisons Through Biophilic Design"

About the Author

Rachel Hur specialises correctional architecture with a strong focus on rehabilitation and creating therapeutic spaces. This, combined with her passion for sustainability and biophilic design in prisons, makes her a valued member of the Guymer Bailey corrections team. Rachel was the Project Lead on the Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre, which was recently shortlisted in the 2019 Victorian Architecture Awards Sustainability Category.​​

Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre

Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre, a secure residential treatment facility designed to house 20 residents from serious sex offender and violent offender cohorts, has recently opened in the Grampians region of Victoria.

The post-sentence facility, designed by Guymer Bailey Architects, has been created to provide intensive treatment to target rehabilitation prior to transitioning back into the community and includes staff offices and training spaces, various rooms for programs, training and education and individual residential units to encourage independent and community living.

Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

Kavan Applegate the Project Director on the Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre, said the Centre had been designed to reduce recidivism rates in Victoria.“This facility is the first of its kind in Victoria and displays the commitment Corrections Victoria has to providing intensive treatment and supervision to serious offenders to reduce risk of reoffending.”

To avoid an institutional feel, the Centre uses a mix of warm materials such as timber both internally and externally throughout the buildings, as well as landscaped outdoor areas (with walking paths, gardens and exercise equipment) to provide a greater connection to nature from both staff and resident areas. Independent living has also been encouraged through the design, with individual residential units linked to communal spaces.

“The individual residential units are designed to encourage independent living for residents to help them transition back into society. Shared communal spaces also allow for community-type interactions with other residents in a way that is very different to the operations within a correctional facility. Research from the UK has shown that supported housing like this is an important part of effective rehabilitation and reintegration.” Kavan said.

There are three standout design features of Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre:

The Perimeter Fence

Due to the secure nature of the brief, the perimeter fence still needed to function like a prison perimeter – but these traditionally feel harsh and overbearing. To minimise the correctional feel, a fence was designed with precast concrete panels at the bottom and with a perforated steel fence above. An image of trees is created with the perforations in the fence providing visual relief in the perimeter border. The fence has been detailed in such a way that it maintains the required security levels.

The Timber Cladding

The main building is clad in timber on the second floor to distinguish it from the other single-storey buildings and almost eliminate the feeling of being inside a secure facility. The timber cladding also forms an anti-climb façade to the resident side. Blackbutt timber was used due to its amazing, rich tone that will naturally grey over time.

Programs Building at Rivergum. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

The Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) Initiatives

To ensure sustainability through the design of the Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre, we worked closely with our expert ESD Consultant who guided our material and systems selections to maximise quality and long-term savings. These initiatives also aim to reduce energy consumption and decrease impact on the environment.

Passive Design: Passive environmental design principles were incorporated into the buildings to reduce the need for mechanical heating and cooling, and calculated sun shading elements such as the timber fins on the main building’s northern façade were also built in to reduce summer heat loads. Other passive design techniques include attention to building orientation, insulation, natural ventilation and thermal properties of materials.

The windows of the facility were specified to have high performance, double-glazed units, which minimises heat transmittance, and thermally broken aluminium window frames to eliminate cold bridges from the outside temperature into the buildings. The staff offices also have double glazed operable louvres, which operate automatically depending on the internal office conditions to maintain optimum indoor air quality. 

Putting preference on natural ventilation to achieve high indoor air quality levels, most of the rooms across the site, including the residential units, utilise a Lunos unit, which continuously trickles in fresh air from the outside without the need for a full HVAC system and thus decreases energy use. The main Programs building was given a central, triangular courtyard to minimise depths of floor plates to maximise natural day light into the spaces, reducing the need for full internal lighting during the day.

Central Staff Courtyard. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

Materials: Insulated precast concrete sandwich panels were used inside to maintain high R-values and stabilise internal temperatures. The floors throughout the facility are generally honed concrete, which also attributes to thermal mass, reduces the need for additional flooring material and creates a raw but characteristic finish to the spaces.

Insulated sandwich panel roofing completes the continuous insulation around the buildings. This was achieved by careful detailing of the insulation in the walls and to the underside of the slab which all join with the roof insulation like an uninterrupted wrap around the building. This essentially stops any heat or cool air leaking out of the buildings, which can lead to overuse of HVAC systems and creates a continuous insulation wrap around the buildings .

Staff Breakout. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

Residential units use the thermal mass of the brick veneer and concrete filled structural walls to keep the units cool in the summer and warm in the winter without mechanical systems . The floors in the residential units have in-slab hydronic heating. The high thermal mass of the concrete allows for it to absorb, store and release heat, thus making the heating system more effective with less energy use for winter months. All the residential units also utilise the Lunos units and have operable windows, filling the units with constant fresh air and freedom for users to control the internal environment based on their needs.

A geothermal system supplies energy for the hydronic heating, further reducing the heating energy consumption. The geothermal system also provides cooling for the mechanical systems in the main programs building by circulating coolant through loops in the ground that use the natural sub-surface temperatures to cool down before recirculating again.

Geothermal energy is still not very common in Australia, but when used in conjunction with the other sustainable initiatives at Rivergum, such as understanding thermal mass of materials like concrete and combining it with effective systems like in-slab heating, it is designed to reduce energy consumption and provides a better environmental outcome as it relies on natural ground temperatures and only requires a small pump to recirculate coolant through the pipes.

Multi-Faith Chapel and Contemplative Garden. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

On Site Collection: External sustainable initiatives were also included in the design such as solar panel shade structures over the car park and thoughtful design of networked swales to maximise stormwater capture for storage in underground water tanks.

The solar shade structure use is a two-fold: one was to provide off-grid power to the facility; and the other, to provide staff vehicles protection from the extreme summer and winter temperatures. Each car space is estimated to provide approximately 3kWh. To compare, an average household of one person uses approximately 9kWh per day. 60 car spaces are covered, which means there is enough power generated to supply around 20 single households per day.

The facility is 100% electric, and the inspiration behind this innovative idea was the Department’s aspiration for Net Zero Energy in all new facilities. By harnessing clean energy, the facility can reduce its carbon footprint and has a chance to offset the embodied and consumed energy of the materials, construction and use of the facility.

Solar Panel Shade Structure. Photography by Scott Burrows Photography.

The Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre is a clear example of what can be achieved through innovative rehabilitative design. Providing a non-institutional space which still operates as a secure facility, residents can more easily adjust to life in the community.

The Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre was recently shortlisted in the 2019 Victorian Architecture Awards Sustainability Category.