вЂњThe plan of the prison consists of four four-storied T-shaped cell blocks with floored landings, arranged around a central common service blockвЂќ (PASTCAPE, 2015). HMP Blundeston was one of the first new wave prisons to be built in England which rejected the traditional Victorian radial design (PASTCAPE, 2015). In 1959, the government commissioned the White Paper Penal Practice in a Changing Society to deal with the increasing problems in the prison system and the rising population. Considering what we know today about the importance of psychological factors, the radial design appeared to have been purely for punitive purposes with little attention paid to the mental health and rehabilitation of inmates. This design puts the inmate in total isolation with a lack of communication. Research explores the idea that exposure to solitary confinement can have a negative affect on the health and well-being of inmates as well as damaging their rehabilitation process (WHO, 2015). вЂњEvery inmate was kept in solitary confinement for most of the day and communication with others, even tapping pipes, was strictly forbiddenвЂќ (ROHRER, 2007). This suggests the design provided a secure environment for the inmates with maximum observation for the staff such that incidents could be identified and reached quickly. Moreover, вЂњthe advantages of the radial wing design were abundant in the nineteenth century, for a single officer standing in the centre could, by moving his head through 180 degrees, observe each of the four wings in turnвЂќ(MORRIS, 1963, p.13). It is therefore evident that radial designs were able to improve the quality of life by making internal conditions safer and more humane, lowering the risk of diseases. Ducts flowed throughout the cells allowing heating and cross ventilation which improved inmateвЂ™s health (MORRIS, 1963). HMP Pentonville was constructed in 1842 and was the first UK radial prison.Д®ach cell had a small window providing natural light and ventilation. This allowed efficient monitoring of inmates from the central core. In the radial design, вЂњprisoners would be held in cells in long galleries, radiating from a central pointвЂќ (ROHRER, 2007). The Panoptican design was never erected but it applied a big influence on future prison architecture which can be seen in the proceeding examples below. This weak relationship would consequently be detrimental to the inmateвЂ™s rehabilitation progression as вЂњpositive relationships between the staff and the inmate are deemed fundamental to the smooth functioning of the facilityвЂќ (SPENS, 1994, p.9). This design appears to have had a negative impact on the physical and mental well-being of the inmates due to the severe lack of privacy.В Moreover, staff and prisoners relationships were likely to be detached due to the physical distance between them as a result of the design. вЂњThe psychological objective of such a system was that the subjects of surveillance would believe that their only logical option was to conformвЂќ (STUDYMORE, 2015). A central viewing tower with tiered prisoner cells arranged around the tower allowed constant, unobstructed surveillance into the inmateвЂ™s cells which acted as a control mechanism (FOUCAULT, 1977). Jeremy BenthamвЂ™s Panoptican design was established in the 18th century. So to arrange things that the surveillance is permanent in its effects, even if it is discontinuous in its action that the perfection of power should tend to render its actual exercise unnecessaryвЂќ ( FOUCAULT, 1977, p.154). вЂњTo induceВ a state of conscious and permanent visibility that assures the automatic functioning of power.

Prison architect layout