A youth restorative justice and rehabilitation center: designing with dignity and compassion for victims and young offenders

Abstract

By employing adaptive reuse and critical conservation as design strategies, a Youth Restorative Justice and Rehabilitation Center is proposed within the former Windsor Arena, which attempts to target the root causes of problematic crime in Windsor, Ontario. Restorative Justice practices move away from traditional penal systems and typologies, which are punitive and dehumanizing, in favour of a destigmatized, trauma-informed experience, sensitive to all human conditions. This thesis explores how architectural rehabilitation can be used to restore individuals and become a catalyst for meaningful change in the mindset and behaviours of young offenders, anticipating their deterrence from a life of crime or incarceration. Through architectural intervention and focused, but varied programming, this thesis attempts to build a restorative community, addressing matters of Justice, personal betterment and urban design. By designing with dignity and compassion, users can expect to experience healing and reconciliation as well as healthy relationships and improved mental health.