Justizzentrum Leoben by Hohensinn Architektur, Steiermark, Austria

When one sees for the first time the Leoben Justice Centre in Austria, he can be forgiven to mistake it for an office building or even a museum. In fact, it is the latest modern prison/courts building, from Graz-based Austrian architects Hohensinn.

Surrounded by glass, filled with art and vintage furniture, this prison looks nothing like any other. You have to see - and see again - the barbed wire fence around the building to believe it. Austrian authorities decided that depriving the liberty of inmates leads to re-socialisation problems. This led Hohensinn to reconfiguring the prison as a place that mimics outside life without compromising security.

The inmates are housed in residential units of 15, their cells have all natural light, comfortable furniture and TV screens. Many items are from well known designers and brands: check the green Verner Panton chairs below. You can see vintage furniture and art in the lobbies and common spaces. This is no Alcatraz for sure.

Each unit's prisoners can move freely within their area, having access to all their communal spaces at all times. They each have an outdoor space as well. One has to wonder if this type of prison does not invite crime: troubled people with no money and resources could actually commit crime just to be sheltered within this seemingly wonderful prison. But this place is for white collar crime inmates and temporary stays, so it will probably not cause crime rise in Austria.

The glass towers that comprise the upper part of the building are connected with glass bridges. These also connect them to regional and county courts. The corridors of the complex have interesting pictograms on their ceilings (check the 2nd photograph) and can be seen from outside through the transparent glass walls.

Use of light coloured wood in combination with metal and glass, designed with minimal, sleek lines, contributes to a clean straightforward feeling. The natural light that enters through the vast glass walls travels inside the buildings as they use glass also for interior walls.

Concrete finishes are also used in communal areas. The colour is left to the furniture and kitchen cupboards, punctuating the rooms with vibrancy and design. The room above looks like a MOMA art installation.

View from above - a courtyard.

Central gates

This was first published at 2Modern Design Talk blog on October 9th.

Made In Jail: art by juvenile jail inmates in Thessaloniki

A few weeks ago, an unusual project arrived at Tetragon: help arrange an exhibition of art made by juvenile jail inmates in the Vafopouleion Cultural Centre of Thessaloniki. The exhibition is based on works made at workshops sponsored by the Group of Friends and Volunteers of the Juvenile Protection Company of Thessaloniki. Artists come as volunteers at Diavata Prison and help the juvenile artists create what you will see in the following photos.


My colleague, the architect Zoe Evangelopoulou, supervised the layout of the show. It was her idea that the whole set up of the podiums to show the works of art would be in the form of a Morse code, spelling out the words "Made In Jail". Such a brilliant idea, it was incorporated not only into the banners of the exhibition (see photo above) but also in the music of the show, made with Morse code sounds. Here is a plan of the layout:


The show included artifacts, paintings and poetry.


How was poetry shown at an art exhibition? It was not only read, but words, fragments of poems, were written in pieces of paper, heaped on the floor of the show room, as seen in the photos:




At the opening, after the necessary speeches, the pieces of paper were scattered in the room symbolically by two children, who relished the idea of course...People present there were supposed to join in but few did...the symbolism of the move was apparent to all I guess...


In the photo above you can see the man behind the show, one of the well known graphic artists in Greece, Spyros Tsiligiridis, helping the kids spread the word.


Some of the works shown looked like they could easily be installed in major "adult" events. Having seen both Greek Biennials this year (Thessaloniki and Athens), I must say this show moved me more than any of the others, because of its symbolism and power. What do you think?


The opening of the show was on Wednesday 17th of October and it will last until the 24th of this month. So if you're in Thessaloniki these days, do not miss this.


All proceeds of selling the artworks will go to help the juvenile inmates' rehabilitation process.


Days- opening hours:
Tuesday to Friday: 10.00 - 14.00 and 18.00 - 21.00
Saturday: 18.00 - 21.00
Sunday: 10.00 - 14.00
Monday: closed


Above is Zoe's favourite piece of art, parts of it were incorporated into the show's poster.


The work above is my favourite one. I am happy to say that it will be hanging at the offices of Tetragon after the end of the show, as one of the partners bought it.

All photos of this post courtesy of Zoe Evangelopoulou