Topping-Out Ceremony at New prison in Sdr. Omme

27.09.2024

Today, we had the honor of participating in the topping-out ceremony for the expansion of Sdr. Omme Prison, which will add 200 secure spaces, transforming the facility into Denmark’s largest prison with both open and secure sections.

As lead consultant and architect, we took the opportunity to thank our partners and collaborators for their invaluable contributions to this project. Here, we would like to reiterate the words of Sonia Bom, our Design Director and Partner, who spoke at the ceremony:

A milestone in a transformative project

"This ceremony marks an important milestone—not just in the construction process but also for the institution itself, which is evolving into a hybrid facility with both open and secure sections. For the Danish Prison and Probation Service, this expansion represents a major step forward in correctional facility development, shaping the future of secure rehabilitation in Denmark.

"Since we began working on this project in the fall of 2020, we have been mindful of the unique culture at Sdr. Omme Prison. From the very beginning, it was clear that this was a special place—one with a strong sense of identity and a dedicated team. Rarely have we encountered such passionate, solution-oriented individuals, and it has been, and continues to be, a pleasure working alongside you.

"Today, we celebrate progress and craftsmanship, both of which should never be taken for granted. We extend our sincere thanks to K.G. Hansen, Sikom and all subcontractors for your hard work and dedication. Your professionalism and collaborative spirit have ensured that challenges are met with pragmatic and timely solutions.

"The vision we set out to achieve is now becoming tangible—the layout, spatial character, and color schemes are taking shape. Soon, we will move into the next phase, where finishing touches and surface work will bring everything together. It is inspiring to see how far we have come as a team, and we look forward to the next steps.

"With this ceremony, we are now approximately halfway through the construction timeline, yet one contractor has already completed their part. A special thanks to Ivan Jacobsen for successfully completing the site preparation and perimeter fencing, a critical component of the facility’s security."

Acknowledgments & continued collaboration

"We would also like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to our daily collaboration partners. It is easy to overlook the significance of teamwork when working closely together every day, so we want to acknowledge each of you.

A special thank you to:

  • Viborg Engineers, who have been with us since 2020 and played a key role in planning the construction.

  • BARA-land, for their successful collaboration on the landscape design.

  • COWI, for their expertise and constructive cooperation on the security installation.

  • And to all our partners - thank you! No construction project is built alone, and certainly not a secure facility spanning nearly 20,000 square meters.

Looking ahead

The topping-out ceremony marks a significant moment in this ambitious project, but our shared efforts are far from over. We look forward to the continued collaboration that will bring this modern, efficient, and safe prison facility to completion.

Once again, thank you to everyone involved—your dedication, expertise, and teamwork are what make this project a success.

Onward to the next phase!