Designing for Care, Connection, and Change

Many incarcerated women are survivors of neglect and violence. Compared to men in the justice system, they are more often the primary or only caregivers for their children. Current research shows that preserving the mother-child bond in early childhood significantly impacts incarcerated women’s future behavior and reduces the likelihood of re-offending. At Heart River, residents will have access to programs and services, family visitation, indoor recreation, and dining areas – tools for building skills and healthy habits that extend beyond their time in custody. Trauma-informed design elements like comfortable seating and conversation nooks encourage social interaction, while natural daylight and views of the surrounding landscape create a calming, campus-like atmosphere. Living areas are designed to foster community, provide support, and gradually increase freedom of choice as residents move toward reintegration. Security features are discreetly integrated into the facility’s normative spaces, enhancing safety without compromising dignity.

Creating Pathways to Reentry and Reconnection

The new 304-bed facility includes an indoor and outdoor family visitation area, an overnight visitation suite for women to stay with children, a resident community center, health and food services, and an industry building. Apartment-style housing units, equipped with kitchens, support residents in developing life skills essential for successful reentry into their families and communities, and offer a setting for mothers to live with their infants. The interior color palette draws inspiration from the local landscape of water, river rock, and bluffs, reflected in the tranquil colors, fluid shapes, and textured material finishes. The site leaves room for future expansion of housing units, enabling the facility to evolve in tandem with the community’s evolving needs. As lead designer, DLR Group provided planning, programming, architecture, structural engineering, lighting design, wayfinding, and interior design in collaboration with JLG Architects as Architect of Record and JBMarie as planning and operations liaison.