a Forensic Psychiatric care Centre (FPC), Brugge, BE.
Architecture for re-socialization of Forensic Psychiatric Patient (FPP) The new forensic psychiatric centre in Brugge lays in the middle of a normal street next to the existing psychiatric institution. The face of the building are the offices for staff, the entrance and the re-habilitation housing. This makes the building less aggressive.
Re-socialization is the treatment process of the forensic psychiatric patient. The goal of the treatment is focused on learning how to live with a psychiatric order to prevent redivide (reoccurrence of the crime). It is divided in 4 steps:
imprisonment and treatment in is far behind on research. Though there is much to be won. Especially for those patients who have, in most cases, many victims, treatment is very important. Concepts from healing environment, evidence based design and environmental psychology are to be integrated in forensic psychiatric care for a more effective resocialization process.
In most cases they have been in prison for at least 4 years and will have psychiatric treatment in an forensic psychiatric institution. This treatment is called resocialization and is meant to learn the patient how to live with How can Architecture their psychiatric disorder.
scheme of resocialization
II. Motivation: motivating the patients to contribute to treatment and finding the disorder
contribute to the resocialization process of the forensic psychiatric patient?
IV: re-habilitation: reconnect to society by finding a place to stay, work and learn.
Due to security regulations the building is one maze of hallways. Making it difficult to orientate, creating dark hallways with only doors on both sides. This increases the feeling of an institute and decreases the ‘feeling of home’. De connection of the buildings also make in unclear where living starts and treatment end. For these patients it is important to have understandable structures. De buildings are place outside of society and surrounded with high unfriendly fences. This contributes to the negative feeling people have with forensic psychiatric care. The building offers no freedom of choice. To feel at home and to be able to learn how to handle with their disorder there should be more of an element of choice. This will help staff and patient in the process since the staff can take away privileges and patients can feel more in control of their situation.
normal security
maximum security
The problems of current forensic psychiatric institutions
Eight after the entrance to the facility the patients and staff will entre the main road. One of the axes to order the different building can create zones.
no security (outside)
The silent area facilitates the library, the education centre, silence centre and the therapy building. The vegetable garden will provide for the restaurant at the main square. Here patients and staff can have individual time.
Normal security
The urban structure within the normal security wall has been turned so the surrounding wall are never
Specialist Wil de Bijl - psycholoog Charlotte Boonstra - psycholoog Hetty Hoes - manager / coordinator Jan Mertens - psycholoog Jeroen Veth - architect Jules Vark - architect
III. Treatment: leaning how to live with the disorder and being tested if it works.
Forensic Psychiatric Patients (FPP) all have a criminal background. What they have in common is their psychiatric Although forensic facilities, like disability causing them to be prisons, and psychiatric facilities, aggressive, unstable and a danger like psychiatric institutions, have to themselves and/or society. Examples of crimes committed been studied quite a lot, by patients are paedophile, The architecture for obduction, assault, murder and the combination of rape.
cover of Knack about the problem of psychiatric patients in Belgium prison
Mentors: 1e Robert Nottrot 2e Elise van Dooren 3e Cor Wagenaar Daan Vitner (committee)
I. Stabilization: calming down with or without medication
limited security
This Dutch re socialization process from FPC system, where delinquents can be partly taken responsible for their criminal acts, is an example for many countries who are just about to start on their own FPC system.
Elke Miedema info@elkemiedema.com Graduation date: 18th of April 2012 Graduation Studio/ ExploreLab 12 Faculty of Architecture, TU Delft
Limited security
A forensic psychiatric institution is an institution for psychiatric patients with a criminal background.
5 meters
5 meters
Security
Security measures are one of the most difficult and interesting parts of the forensic psychiatric care facilities. The patients are to be secured in their department to protect society.
2 meters
The building should have at least 3 security zones; - Maximum security - Normal security - Reduced security.
0 meters
-3 meters
outer wall
reduced security
(above) The negative plint will give scale to the high wall but not provide climbing on the walls. The brick will relate to the surroundings in Brugge. Also give scale to the high walls.
treatment housing
normal security
supermarket
restaurant
workshop
no security (outide)
treatment housing courtyard
treatment housing
outer wall
(Left) The security walls seem to be rectangular and the living units seem to be outside of the boundaries.
sports centre
(right) By lowering the wall it still meets the requirement 5 meters, but doesn’t give such a harsh view from the outside.
courtyard treatment housing
Each security zone has to have a 5 meter high wall separated to make sure patients are being noticed withing 10 minutes.
section treatment housing
plan treatment housing
The courtyard provide privacy and security zones. It also gives space for natural environment and place to make their own.
section treatment housing
The nieces give privacy and hide the doors from sight without losing overview. The wide hallway can also be a extra living area.
The control post in the middle of the department gives view on the living, hallways entrance and courtyard. It creates a safe space for staff.
Understandability Authencity
because of the unstable character of most patients understandability is important. This is found in the layout of the plans. The two axes create zones, but also give structure to the diverse buildings.
Freedom within a FPC is complex. At the start of their stay most patients are not able to have choise due to their psychiatric disorder and unstable character. Later in their resocialization they will have to be able to make their own (good) choises) Also staff will use freedom as a reward system. If the patinets participates and makes progress more freedom of choise is possible. The rooms are a direct translation of this evulution offreedom. Where the pations in stabilization are only able to change the color of light and the sound, the patinets in re-habilitation are able to move arround their furniture and go
Natural Environment The natural environment calms staff and patients down. I all rooms and building natural elements are to bee seen. The trees, plants, grass and sky give protection, good views and activities.
Indentety Identity is only possible when patints are ready to know for themselves what is good or bad for them . The later in the process not only do the patients have more freedom in where to go. They are also allowed to change their room acordingly.
Protection Protection is important for both staff and patients. They should all be able to retreat.. At first the patients are very inward, and so are their rooms, also the individual rooms are opening op more. Also the place of the departments within the terrain reflect the level of needed protection.
The balcony has bamboo like bars to make it possible for patients to go outside whenever they like.
main entrance
The window frame provides extra floorings space and a nice spot to sit and watch outside.The window is also allowed to be open. Witch is a great previlege for these patients.
re-habilitation housing
middle wall
outer wall
The room hase an ambilight wich gives the patients a small bit of controle over its place.
treatment housing
One window gives a view to the garden and the brick wall.
The re-habilitation rooms are small studio’s with extra security measures. The have their own sanitary facilities and kitchen and a balcony.
motivation housing
The closed can be closed to reduce the stimulie when needed.
The treatmentroom is where the patients stay longest. The room gives posabilities for privacy and allows the patients to move arround the furniture.
Re-habilitation
entrance max security
a small roof window gives a vieuw to the outside without distrction form other people. the room has a directdoor to the verntiation area.
Treatment
health facility (hospotal)
a smaller room where the patient only has fixed furnitere. Staff can controel wether the patients can have its own sanitairy faciliies or not.
a small room with no posability to hurt oneself.
sports
motivation
stabilization