This project, developed under a commission from the National University of Colombia, focused on designing a system of sustainable enclosures for ten correctional centers located in regions with warm and cold climates. The challenge was to create modular architectural solutions that could adapt to different sites, uses, and orientations.
The aim was to move beyond the conventional model of prisons as punitive spaces, instead proposing environments that offer a sense of beauty and hope to individuals preparing for reintegration into society after long periods of incarceration. The enclosures not only ensured necessary security but also incorporated passive bioclimatic regulation strategies and contributed to sustainability goals.
The Ipiales Penitentiary Institute, located in Nariño, was awarded First Place in Infrastructure at the Cemex Works Awards Colombia 2021, recognizing the project’s innovation, architectural quality, and social impact.