In 1968, biologist John Calhoun conducted an experiment named the ‘mortality-inhibiting environment for mice’, more commonly known as mouse heaven, or Universe 25. He took 8 mice, all screened to eliminate disease, and placed them in an ‘ideal’ environment, featuring a large pen with an abundance of food, water, and bedding, with over 200 separate ‘apartments’ connected by mesh tubes and an ideal climate. By month 19 it had evolved to over 2000 mice. Without the high infant mortality rate that mice have in the wild, the population increase led to overcrowding, causing social isolation and poor mental well-being in many of the population, and also increased competition for resources, which in turn led to violence.
Many varying conclusions were drawn about how it relates to humans, but what it definitely does stand for is as a microcosm for man-made prisons and the importance of their design.
Prison architecture
The philosophy of prison architecture is a complex and multifaceted one. Prison’s primary purpose is for security, housing those who we deem a danger to the rest of society. After security is established, a prison can take one of two routes; designed for punishment or designed for reform. Historically we favour punishment, from the panopticon to the prison industrial complex to modern-day ‘supermax’ prisons and everything in between, we have favoured a method of design that aims to house the maximum number of inmates at the lowest cost, with no consideration of any type of reform. Recidivism statistics show that this isn’t working. In the U.K., in 2021 24.9% of people who were released, went on to re-offend, in the first year on the outside. (Ministry of Justice, 2023).
The few prisons that treat prisoners like humans and aim to help not punish, cost more to build and house fewer inmates. So, it cost the reason why we don’t follow this method? In Norway, their prisons are designed to help not hinder, but it is estimated that staying in a Norwegian prison costs double that of a US prison (Bregman, 2021), but this investment pays for itself, as when released, ex-convicts commit fewer crimes, saving money for law enforcement, and are also more prepared to find employment, benefiting the economy further and resulting in them paying tax, (Bregman, 2021). With lower reoffending rates fewer people are in prison, easing the issue of overcrowding and providing better care to the inmates, which then in turn leads to them being less likely to reoffend.
Halden prison
One such prison in Norway is named Halden Prison. Sitting Southeast of Oslo and surrounded by a forest of pine and birch trees, it doesn’t look like a typical prison. The residential blocks are separated from other areas, such as workspaces and studios, this means that inmates have to walk outside to get to places where they can work; this mirrors a typical commute, making easier for inmates to integrate back into society after release. It also exposes them to natural light and the outside world.
The building is made up of wood, steel, glass, tiles, and bricks, high-quality materials designed to make the inmates feel content. All the cells are private, not shared, with an ensuite, tiled bathroom, and a TV in each room.
Importance of natural light
Exposure to natural light is critical for health and well-being. Firstly, we absorb vitamin D from sunlight, a nutrient that helps build bones, strengthen the immune system, and improve mood. In the US 33% of the prison population has deficient levels of vitamin D, with 34% having insufficient levels, (Urrutia-Moldes, 2022). There is a clear lack of exposure to natural light in prisons; inmates have limited time to spend outside, with some being denied this luxury altogether, and windows are seen as a security risk, meaning they are few and far between, too small, and usually barred.
It is also crucial in regulating our circadian rhythm, and our sleep-wake cycle. The brain responds to changes in light by producing different hormones. Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland, and cortisol is produced in the adrenal glands. Melatonin helps us to sleep, with more of it being produced at night when it gets dark. Conversely, cortisol is produced more in the morning in response to daylight, helping us to feel more alert and less tired.
Instead of natural light in prisons, artificial light is relied on instead. LED lights release a type of blue light, similar to sunlight, which can “vitally imbalance melatonin and cortisol levels”, (Urrutia-Moldes, 2022), resulting in sleep disorders. Lack of sleep comes with a host of other issues, including but not limited to, weakened immune system, higher blood pressure, increased risk of depression and reduced memory.
Biophilia
The concept of biophilia is about the connection humans have to the natural world, hypothesized that we evolved with a relationship to the natural environment and that this relationship is something inherently human. Biophilic design starts to bring this concept into the built environment, often utilizing plants and natural materials. “Biophilia can boost our immune systems, support mental and emotional health, create social connections, and aid physical recovery”, (Cigna Global, 2022). It can also reduce anxiety, benefit sleep, and even improve memory. Prisons don’t usually deploy this method of design thinking, with one exception being Halden prison, so it is no surprise that the opposite of biophilia, predictable, impermeable, man-made materials, have ill effects on people.
Halden prison uses lots of natural materials and has plenty of natural light. With it being built in a forest it also allows the opportunity for views, something crucial to mental wellbeing as “built environment[s] without variability can be damaging, especially to those who have suffered trauma”, (Jewkes, 2018).
Halden prison helps to show us that more thoughtful design can change our entire society. Better prison architecture can reduce crime through less reoffending and also highlights how susceptible humans are to their surrounding environments. Though promoting biophilia, using more natural materials, using a strong connection to nature, and carefully planning the layout, prison architecture, as well as all other architecture, can create a built environment that stops us from becoming the next universe 25.
Bibliography :
Cigna Global. (2022). What is biophilia and why do we need it? [online] Available at: https://www.cignaglobal.com/blog/body-mind/connection-with-nature-and-biophilia-help-mental-wellbeing#:~:text=Research%20suggests%20that%20biophilia%20can.
Jewkes, Y. (2018). Just design: Healthy prisons and the architecture of hope. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, [online] 51(3), pp.319–338. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0004865818766768.
Ministry of Justice (2023). Proven Reoffending statistics: January to March 2021. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/proven-reoffending-statistics-january-to-march-2021/proven-reoffending-statistics-january-to-march-2021#:~:text=Overall%20%E2%80%93%20adult%20and%20juvenile%20offenders.
Rutger Bregman. HUMANKIND : A Hopeful History. S.L., Bloomsbury Publishing, 2021.
Urrutia-Moldes, A. (2022). Health and Well-Being in Prison Design. Routledge.
Images:
- JiiRi Havran. Halden Prison Exterior, doga.no/en/activities/design-and-architecture-in-norway/architecture/halden-prison/.
- Anna Wathne. The Landscape Design Is Based on the Natural Features of the Terrain., doga.no/en/activities/design-and-architecture-in-norway/architecture/halden-prison/.
