Detention Design

Our core belief is that architecture has a profound responsibility to the community, and regardless of the project type, our duty is to always enhance the economic, aesthetic, social, and environmental context of the communities we work in. More than 45 years later, this vision has not changed. Today, we provide our government clients with superior customer service by adopting the client’s goals as our own, enabling transparent decision-making, committing to responsible spending of public funds, and remaining passionate about the success of the communities for whom we work. BKV Group has assembled a highly experienced and skilled group of architects, engineers, designers, and planning professionals who have spent a majority of their careers working in justice architecture with a special focus on jail design. Our in-house staff has experience on more than 70 detention projects representing more than 180,000 beds nationally. We offer comprehensive services include pre-design studies (facility assessments, operational assessments, projections, space programming, concept design and costs) and full design services (schematic design through construction administration) for additions and renovations and new construction.

INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONTROL

The key words are ventilation, air flow management, and air purification as the response required to keep staff and people in their custody safer. Concepts that should be applied include increased outdoor air ventilation rates to dilute the return air stream with variable-speed fan motors that control of the speed of airflow; use laminar flow air distribution versus mixing air flow patterns; provide localized exhaust system for source control in high risk areas; install filters with increased efficiencies and enhanced particle filtration capacity (MERV) to the greatest extent possible; and consider ultraviolet-C light (UV-C) to deactivate pathogens.

ENHANCED INTAKE CENTER

A growing body of evidence suggests that the first 24- to 48-hours of the experience and environment that a person in jail encounters is the most critical regarding their outcomes in their court case, and their well-being and mental health. The modern intake center must balance security, health, and efficiency in obtaining information from the arrestee during the booking process while subtly trying to relieve stress of the arrestee. Special considerations regarding infection control and safety of the staff are critical in this zone where everyone begins the process in intake. Notable changes to the intake center include: faster, easier assessment process; more private check-in process, and improved acoustics.