Contract Sign Off and Construction Start at Ringe Prison - New Extension
04.02.2022
On behalf of the Directorate of the Danish Prison and Probation Service, the consulting team has just initiated the tender phase related to the capacity expansion of Ringe Prison. The tender, which is conducted as a negotiated procurement, follows directly from the Multi-Year Agreement for the Prison and Probation Service, adopted in December 2021.
Ringe Prison was constructed and opened in the mid-1970s as a modern prison, both in terms of architecture and correctional principles. The proposed project builds upon the existing architecture, infrastructure, and staffing principles of the prison, with the construction of a housing building featuring a main corridor from which the individual departments will branch out. At the same time, several central functions in the existing prison will be renovated. In total, approximately 4,050 square meters of new one-story construction will be added, along with various courtyards and outdoor areas. Additionally, significant renovations will occur in the existing main building—primarily in administrative areas and other support functions—ensuring logistics and security post-renovation.
The design work has been conducted in close collaboration between the Prison and Probation Service and the consulting team, consisting of Alex Poulsen Architects, Viborg Engineers, and Molter Consult. Within the Prison and Probation Service, the project is anchored both centrally in the client unit, Corporate Properties, and locally in the prison itself, as the project must be realized while the prison operates at full capacity.
“We are very proud that APA has the opportunity to expand one of the studio's older prison projects from the 1970s. The prison was then designed as if it were any other public building of its time, which meant that it was an experiment for a new type of prison: for the first time, there was a focus on normalizing the lives of inmates in prisons, the rights of inmates, and rehabilitation.”
— Partner and project manager at Alex Poulsen Architects, Sonia Bom
Lars Rau Brysting, Head of Corporate Properties of the Danish Prison and Probation Services, states:
“The Prison and Probation Service, as the client, is responsible for the execution of several significant and financially demanding construction projects arising from the Multi-Year Agreement for the Prison and Probation Service. Currently, we are working on targeted capacity expansions in existing prisons and detention centers, the establishment of 200 new closed spaces in Sønder Omme Prison, and the creation of 400 new detention spaces in a new area detention center. The capacity expansion at Ringe Prison is an important strategic initiative that contributes to future-proofing the capacity of the Prison and Probation Service and creating better conditions for the crucial societal task that the staff performs. We look forward to executing the construction project in close collaboration with Alex Poulsen Architects.”
