Located off the shores of San Francisco, Alcatraz Penitentiary once housed America’s most dangerous criminals, and today it stands as a reminder of the flaws in the American prison system. This comprehensive conceptual design plan proposes transforming the existing cell house from a high-security prison into a reformation facility for America’s most disadvantaged inmates.

Although the building’s location presents architectural challenges, the reduced pressure of preserving the exterior walls and windows allows the design to focus largely on the interior of the main cell house. The plan concentrates on the two above-ground levels, relocating the dormitories from the center of the cell house to the perimeter and allocating circulation space for classrooms, therapy spaces, and recreational areas in an almost panoptic layout.

Creating an environment that parallels a college campus, Alcatraz is reimagined to promote routine while aiding in rehabilitation and reform, by using color to influence emotion and behavior.