588 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

Will inmates students be released early for good behaviour?

[Mike K.]

It depends if they extend or emerge.

[aastra]

Methinks there's no way this building's severity could possibly be an accident. Several aspects of the design are contributing to the prison theme.

[lanforod]

Do you have an example of a prison that looks like this?

[Mike K.]

Cleveland jail - https://vikpahwa.com...rnational-1995/



Manhattan Detention Centre - https://www.google.c...ombs?format=amp

[aastra]

 

Do you have an example of a prison that looks like this?

 

21st-century detention facilities are moving away from this kind of severe look, are they not? This is my point. I get the feeling that somebody is deliberately making a statement here, and I gotta say, the statement really rubs me the wrong way. It's as if the contemptuous politics at UVic are now being carried through into the architecture.

 

Here's a new prison for women in California... Just flip through the pics and you'll notice the interesting design elements, the variation in the cladding materials, the tall & unobstructed windows, and the pleasing (rather than dreary) colour choices.

Did you notice the caption for those prison pics?
 

 

"A new jail in San Diego County brings a taste of college life to its inmates".

 

Meanwhile, "a new residence at the University of Victoria brings a taste of prison life to its students."

 

--

 

Here's another new prison in Denmark... and another interesting description:

 

 

Storstrøm Prison: a Modern, Human, High-security Prison that Uses Architecture to Promote Prisoners’ Social Rehabilitation

The aim of the closed Storstrøm Prison is to create the world’s most humane high-security prison, which contributes to the inmates’ social rehabilitation through architecture that supports the inmates’ mental and physical well-being and also ensures a secure and pleasant workplace for the prison staff.

 

--

 

Seriously, all they had to do was lighten things up a bit, introduce some variation in the colour palette, do away with those bars over every darned large window, and otherwise soften up that hardcore grey-metal vibe. UVic builds new residences that look like a fortified imperial detention centre from Star Wars, and UBC builds new residences that look like desirable market-priced condo/rental buildings. It's crazy.

Edited by aastra, 27 June 2023 - 07:04 PM.

[aastra]

 

UVic builds new residences that looks like a fortified imperial detention centre from Star Wars, and UBC builds new residences that look like desirable market-priced condo/rental buildings.

 

Consider my quote above, and then check out the following additional blurb about that San Diego women's prison:

 

 

The new design, which has replaced a dismal 1960s facility in the same location, was inspired by higher-education campuses. "The intent was to replicate, as much as possible, the demands and responsibilities [inmates] would face out in the community."

[Nparker]

Perhaps the architects of UVic's newest housing assume most alumni will end up in prison.

[aastra]

Anyway, if some people want to like it then they can like it. But even if you like it, maybe take a moment to consider the architectural evolution at UVic over the decades and some of the past controversies, misfires, and successes. In light of everything that has happened, doesn't it seem a bit goofy that this particular design would be chosen for possibly the most prominent building on the entire campus?

[aastra]

 

Perhaps the architects of UVic's newest housing assume most alumni will end up in prison.

 

This is what I'm saying. If architecture conveys messages then what messages are being conveyed here?

[LJ]

Most prisoners don't see much of the outside of their home, I'm not sure if it matters that much what it looks like on the outside.

[aastra]

 

Most prisoners don't see much of the outside of their home, I'm not sure if it matters that much what it looks like on the outside.

 

Consider it a cost-saving measure as we eagerly anticipate the next societal lockdown because of WW3, or the enviro crisis, or the Martian invasion, or etc.

[lanforod]

I dunno. I see it every day and never really get that prison vibe. But that’s why I asked for examples. I don’t hang around prisons lol.

[lanforod]

Those relatively minor suggestions to fix it though, i agree with. Could definitely have looked better without any real cost addition.

[Barrrister]

Thay are aiming to compete and model ourselves with North Korea.

[aastra]

 

Those relatively minor suggestions to fix it though, i agree with. Could definitely have looked better without any real cost addition.

 

The original illustrations show the same building, right? But the effect of those mainly cosmetic changes has been significant. Even something somewhere in the middle between the final product and the original concept would have been much better, methinks.

 

(I'm not saying the original concept was fantastic. I'm just saying it didn't exude the harsh vibe that some of us are talking about here.)

 

Anyway, 30 years from now they'll address the issues and add some warm-tone panels here and there, remove some of the window bars, change some of the remaining window bars to a faux-wood material, etc. Mike K. will probably live to see it, assuming he maintains his healthy and youthful habits.

[lanforod]

I don't think it was supposed to be so dark. But it still didn't have any variation in shading or colour, so would have been a similar issue, likely.

[Barrrister]

It is the height of North Korean style architecture.

[Mike K.]

I was chatting with someone who works at UVic, and she was saying the university management believe international enrolment is falling at the school because word has gotten out that it’s very difficult to secure housing in Victoria.

Enrolment this past year was 17,000, she said. 1,000 fewer students than when I attended starting 2001. Could that be correct? Could it be that low?

The website says there are 22,020 undergrad and grad students.

[lanforod]

It's certainly down from 2021 (peak) and things vary depending on how you count full time vs part time, include continuing studies etc,. The 22k figure is correct (its just slightly less) for head count for November 2022, a drop of about 700 from 2021. This includes part time of ~5200.

Edited by lanforod, 28 August 2023 - 09:17 AM.