Behind Bars

The thesis focuses on the design of a new women's prison that would meet European standards and focus on the genuine rehabilitation of those imprisoned there. Today, the Czech Republic is 36 years removed from the fall of a totalitarian regime characterized by the brutal imprisonment of opponents, their social ostracism, and efforts to break them. Although several decades and a different political system separate us from this history, and we live in a democratic state governed by the rule of law where citizens can trust the judiciary and security forces, the question remains whether the Czech correctional system has truly changed and whether it complies with the principles of human rights. The system has moved away from torture, brutality, and labor camps, but it is appropriate to ask whether there has been a deeper change. Are old patterns still being followed, only in newly painted rooms? The majority opinion is that people behind bars should "suffer" for their actions. According to widespread belief, they should not have the right to privacy, comfort, or quality food. This attitude persists across age, education, and region. Returning to society is therefore even more difficult for a person who has been to prison than surviving the sentence itself. As an architect, I cannot change this opinion, but I can point out that even people in prison have the right to a dignified lifeboth behind bars and after their release. There is only one women's prison in the Czech Republic in Světlá nad Sázavou. When I visited it, I realized that this was the topic I wanted to focus on. Every day, I encounter manifestations of gender inequality from the different financial remuneration of women, through bossing and sexism in the workplace, to problems with motherhood, a lack of places in nurseries, or the availability of menstrual products. In this context, I asked myself: who cares for women behind bars? Who is fighting for their access to menstrual products, changing tables, or toys for their children? My work is not political agitation or sociological education. My profession is to design environments for people. That is why my thesis will focus on designing a prison that respects women's dignity and supports their resocialization and relationships with the outside world.