Architects Boycott Prison Design
Architects / Designers / Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR) are helping to build a movement of designers who say no to prison design. The growing prison population not only exacerbates the racial and economic inequalities in our society, but is also bankrupting many of the public institutions that form the best alternatives. See if you know someone who has already signed the pledge, and consider adding your name.
posted by motherjones @ 8:39 PM
11 Comments:
I agree that these people should be contacted.
I find this argument to be quite interesting. Two years ago I did some survey work at a local prison that had been shut down approximately a year earlier. It was my first time in a prison and I found the conditions to be appalling. I couldn't imagine how anyone would ever do anything that might result in them ending up there once, let alone returning there.
I agree with the position that prisons and jails should not continue to be built in their current form. However, as architects and designers I also believe we have a responsibility to improve the environment. Therefore we should be working to identify how better design can improve the situation and contribute to the reform. Maybe instead of a boycott there should be a design competition.
I agree that we need social services and reentry programs and schools as well, but I think it is unrealistic to think that we wouldn't need facilities for more serious criminals. Maybe I am taking an unpopular stance here and I would love to be convinced otherwise, but I just don't see how we can completely eliminate prison.
As I mentioned previously, I think we would be better served by contributing rather than boycotting. And maybe there are some that are doing this and I just missed that part of the description.
Wait a minute. Lets not be hypocrites. A stance and request of others to boycott participation in the design or construction of prisons, because the prison system is "corrupting our society and making us more threatened, rather than protecting us" is quite socially irresponsible. Shouldn't we use our professional skills towards the design of positive social institutions?
It is because of these particular skills and knowledge that we are needed in order to design prisons in such a way that they can somehow reform behavior (yes, idealistic, yet to an extent realistic). I do believe we can create environments that improve quality of living, and as a longer term consequence (no matter how long it takes for that consequence to become reality), reduce crime. If we simply turn our backs on this issue we are only fostering the decay of prison environment, which in turn encourages hostile conditions, increase in crime, segregation, you get the point. I only wish you believed the point.
The premise of boycott is still valid to me, that of personally refusing to benefit financially from something one is morally opposed to. Boycott does not preclude the design of alternative schemes in parallel. In fact, boycott is often used in other protest movements as a transitional, not permanent state, toward some ends. Boycott as awareness. I had little control over the prison project I worked on as and intern architect at Stillwater Prison years ago. And still, I made the decision that it would be my last.
As an architectural intern in college, I had the opportunity to tour a juvinelle prison facility a few weeks before it was opened to the offenders. I do not believe that the facility itself makes the difference. It should be a place separated from the main population for reasons of safety and protection. And those places are scary, i feel that all 10 year old school children should be required to take that tour. It makes you realize what a scary place they are.
The question I have for the practice of architecture, then, is if all architects are obligated to do all projects, of all building types ? I'll argue that its more than appropriate for architects to pick and choose those projects that meet there ethical standards. The carear minded architect often works on anything the boss says, unless she is the boss, and this tends to wash the ethical edge right out of practice all together. By choosing intentionally to not work on one project type, there is arguably more time available for the projects we desire more. Intentionally not doing something can be as empowering and radicalizing a moment as choosing to do something.
Interesting point. I was curious though of the precedent that a 'design boycott' might set. Would this justify the animal rights activist architect refusing the cosmetics company, a pro-lifer refusing the Planned Parenthood, a scientologist architect refusing a medical facilities commission? Where would the line be between personal and professional?
I am a little confused by your comment, hc. Do you imply that people should be totally distinct entities when they are at work and when they are not ?
Anyone can actually refuse to do something if it goes against his beliefs. In the name of what whould you deny anyone this freedom ?
Hi,
I find your blog very interesting. I am a Student of architecture currently doing my masters in South Africa, which has the 14th largest incarceration rate in the world. That, coupled with the large disparities in our society have attracted my attention to the debate surrounding prison design. My thesis topic is on Women's Prisons (Women's rights are very fragile here with many women yet to enjoy the rights prescribed by our constitution).
I would like to pose a question to you: do you think that your design boycott will effect change where decades even centuries of discussion and debate haven't? Or do you think that maybe we have something that scores of those activists haven't...the ability to actually translate our liberal putative attitudes into the built form?
Apart from that, have you come across any interesting 'liberal' prison design? Justizzentrum Leoben is about as close as i have come and i am looking for any precedents.
Yes , i totelly agreed upon your statement .
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This is great and interesting.
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