Arch 401
Senior Lecturer G. Alford
Speculating on the American Prison, Fall 2010

Ryan Botts
Synopticon

The prison typology is a relatively new, albeit incomplete attempt at resolving one of the most volatile social forces in human society. Over the short course of its history it has enjoyed only minor revisions since Bentham offered his Panopticon in 1785, and most of these only technological in nature. It is evident that the American Federal Prison system is broken. With recidivism rates that have never been higher we are currently accruing the largest recycled prison population of any nation on the planet.

Some want to conceive of prison as a deterrent, others as a source of rehabilitation. Throughout the prison typology's lifespan the popular conception has oscillated between these two poles with little or any success. The Synopticon, by means of constructing a incentive-gradient synthesizes both of these goals into a single formal solution. In order to achieve this, vertical volumes are punctured by large 'coring' maneuvers in order to articulate specific "reveals" and moments of cross-sectional awareness amongst the three strata. Juxtaposing this vertical gradient is a horizontal gradient dictated by a prisoner's proximity to these cores. Entry level prisoners in G4, G3, and G2 are placed furthest from the cores.

Those nearest the cores enjoy larger cells with greater access to natural light, ventilation, etc. Liberation from the Synopticon is entirely dependent on the prisoner's cooperation and graduation through all levels of the system.