Prison cell furniture poses unique challenges due to the nature of the prison environment, where issues of safety and misuse come into play. By adopting a co-design approach, the project aimed to identify and address the problems with existing cell furniture. The DAC team collaborated with prison staff, prisoners and designers to develop a range of cell furniture products which incorporated anti-vandalism and anti-harm features. The aim was to prioritise user well-being and sustainability at every stage of production, resulting in furniture that can be manufactured within the prison.
The cell furniture initiative was funded by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) from 2018 to 2020.
If you are interested in finding out more about the cell furniture project or want to collaborate or partner with us on future projects, please contact Lorraine Gamman, l.gamman@csm.arts.ac.uk.