Gesloten geborgenheid

: een jeugdinrichting gericht op resocialisatie

Abstract

Although a location in the outskirts of the city would offer a lot of advantages, the city council decided to locate the new prison of Antwerp in Wilrijk. Because of the advantages of the outskirts of the city, I have decided to place the juvenile prison at the outskirts of the city. The Ring of Antwerp divides the city and the suburban areas and the railway divides the location and the new residential area. From the point of view of the new residential area, the railway acts as a barrier. However from the point of view of the juveniles in prison, because of its higher position, you are able to overlook the railway. This is resulting in an improved feeling of safety from outside, the residential area, and a feeling of accessibility from inside, the juvenile prison. In a prison, a delinquent is temporarily isolated from society. This is done to protect the society, but also to protect the delinquent himself. Delinquents experience their stay in the juvenile prison as a punishment, as well as a learning moment. The punishment of the juveniles is relatively short so the emphasis is on the learning moment, which is based on their return to society. Because of this, the stay in the prison cannot differ too much in relation to a stay in the residential area, since that would make their return to society more difficult. A juvenile prison should therefore look like the situation at home, and simultaniously, the prision has to be safe and closed. Gesloten Geborgenheid (Secretive Sense of Security). In a juvenile prison, designed for young men convicted to long detention, or having received a so called PIJ measure, it's important to spend enough time in the group on socialization, obtaining a daily rhythm and a growing level of independence. Therefore, a normal environment is necessary, but next to that, the overview on the department and the entire prison should be guaranteed. The view to the outside is very important, because it reduces the feeling of being locked up, and also provides the delinquents courage for building on their future. The view from outside should be reduced to a minimum, while the society is given a view of not only the fencing, but also the building. The security plays a big role in the prison, not only for the security of the whole building, but also to make sure there are not to many delinquents in the same room in case of the safety for both employees and delinquents. All this is shown in my design. Two huge blocks make it possible for delinquents to take a glance on the residential areas, so they are able to start and end their day with their goal in mind. By lifting the facilities floor, which provide everything you would normally find in a residential area, the vertical transport of juveniles is reduced to a minimum and the ground floor is clear from the juveniles. Because the lower parts of the blocks provide rooms for employees, it is also possible to lift the security level. The fencing can than be seen as a secondary façade and the exterior of the building arises.

Date of Award	2012
Original language	Dutch
Supervisor	J. Westra (Supervisor 1), E.P.J. van Vugt (Supervisor 2) & S.P.G. (Faas) Moonen (Supervisor 2)