The new state prison in Horsens is located securely in the open, airy, hilly landscape

The East Jutland State Prison was inaugurated in 2006 and is the most secure prison in Denmark. The facility is located in the open hilly landscape of Enner Mark west of Horsens, surrounded by fields, grazing cattle, hedges and scattered farm buildings – and with expansive, uninterrupted views.

One of the goals was to tone down the institutional character of the institution and create an environment, which supports the intention of targeting the prison term at subsequent life outside the walls. The clear structural division and position in the landscape also accommodate a requirement for sectioning options, spending time outdoors and recreational opportunities for the inmates. In other words, the organisation of the prison reflects an entire community within the walls. There are three standard sections, each with its own employment section; a special high security section; a cultural centre with a chapel; sports facilities; a grocery shop and library. There is also a visitors’ section, a gatehouse and a staff section.

The new conditions provide both staff and inmates with a brighter, more spacious and more humane environment. The way the standard sections are laid out means that they can be sectioned into units for as few as six inmates. But the buildings also support larger communities in the individual sections, if conditions allow.

The project was a major challenge for our practice: not only in terms of interpreting the project’s special programmatic issues in the competition phase; but also in terms of the subsequent project design, in which security concerns were top priority.