Architecture

Incarceration is a waste of time. The Big House? is a reconceptualization of the prison system. It is a plug-in system proposing prisoners or misfits take over all waste transfer stations. Instead of the prison being a stagnant system in society, this cross-program creates a reciprocal relationship with society. The Big House? relies on society for the input of misfits and recyclable waste for their experience whilst it outputs back to society by managing recyclable waste which in turn limits landfill. Exploring the self regulated social and cultural relationships in the prison system, The Big House? offers the misfits a chance to reclaim their environment and spatial experience whilst incarcerated. They feed off mini-industries in the waste station; working for these industries and executing good behavior presents them with an opportunity to ‘break out’ in stages into bigger spatial environments with greater self-sufficiency within the confines of the waste station.