The Glasshouse, literally so in this case, is a penitentiary in the city of Eindhoven. The transparency of the building and the urban setting ensure a maximum of interaction between those detained there and society at large. A gradual transition from life in the prison to life outside is the concept underpinning the design. The more advanced their sentences and the better their behaviour, the further the prisoners displace towards the exterior of the building, from where they finally return to society.

The key component in this process is the 'cambium'. This is a transparent interstitial space acting as a barrier between the prisoners and society, and whose outside opens like a diaphragm increasingly with height. In this compact prison sited in the city, the detainees have a real sense of involvement with the outside world. Given the 'halfway' accommodation incorporated in the scheme, the potential is there for a phased, guided return to society, a return that might be a lot less shocking than it is at present.

Place of education: Tilburg
Specialization: architectuur
Tutor: Wim Cuyvers