Correctional facilities are among the environments where architecture exerts its strongest influence on everyday life. Within prison walls, spatial conditions shape every movement, social interaction, and daily routine, affecting not only the wellbeing of incarcerated people but also that of correctional officers and staff. This multidisciplinary research explored how neuroscience and environmental psychology can contribute to a more humane and effective model of prison design.

Developed as part of the Ri-CO-struire research programme, in collaboration with architect Cesare Burdese and psychologist Professor Manuela Saita, the project combined architectural design, environmental psychology, and neuroscientific investigation to understand how the existing prison environment influences stress, behaviour, and emotional wellbeing. Through immersive virtual reality simulations, physiological measurements, and qualitative assessments involving both inmates and prison staff, the research identified the environmental conditions that most strongly affect everyday experience.

These findings informed the development of a comprehensive architectural framework aimed at transforming the prison from a sequence of anonymous spaces into a system of recognisable places. Rather than concentrating exclusively on security requirements, the proposal introduced differentiated environments supporting domestic activities, social interaction, physical exercise, education, and personal autonomy. Spatial organisation, natural light, colours, materials, environmental legibility, and opportunities for contact with nature were carefully orchestrated to create distinct perceptual atmospheres capable of reducing stress and encouraging healthier behavioural patterns.

The project demonstrates how evidence-based design can support the evolution of correctional environments beyond the traditional paradigm of control, recognising architecture as an active component of rehabilitation, dignity, and human wellbeing for everyone who lives and works within the institution.

Works List

Year: 2020
Location: Como
Service: Neuro Brief
Client: Lombardini22
Status: in design
Size: 6.000 mq