Updated Furniture for Youth Prison Cells
On any given day, more than 54,000 juveniles are housed in 2,000 correctional facilities around the United States. For this reason, industrial design student, Kai Lin, created a contemporary furniture line for these facilities to give juveniles a more comfortable living area. Lin was inspired by Scandinavian furniture lines, designing a more friendly and positive space for them, regardless of their situations.
Tubular steel and steel sheet metal were used – common for their strength, durability and antibacterial qualities. The bed and back cushions are covered in a heavy vinyl, which is anti-flammable and can be easily cleaned.
“When I continued my research, I found out more about solitary confinement and how in some facilities, the kids would first be brought to a small cold room with no furnishing for 24 to 72 hours, and they are only allowed to go out one to two hours a day,” said Lin. In addition, certain juvenile facilities still have pink rooms, a concept that was developed in late 1970’s and early 1980’s, which claimed that pink calms inmates and reduces their violent behavior,” said Lin. “The method has since been proven ineffective and detrimental to inmates’ health,” he added.
As designers, projects like this interest us, as we love to figure out solutions for our end users. It’s unfortunate that juveniles have to endure harsh living conditions – but by no means do they deserve special treatment for their actions. However – there’s always room for improvements, as that is what we love to figure out. To find out more information, please click here.
Top
