Guymer Bailey Architects was engaged by the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Services to design the new 1,248-bed Western Plains Correctional Centre maximum-security facility. Working towards the DOJR’s 2050 target, there were many sustainable initiatives incorporated into the design, making Western Plains Correctional Centre the first prison to be accredited under the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) rating scheme.

Accommodation is arranged in a series of eight communities that house either mainstream or protection prisoners. Two main streets connect the communities with the central support buildings that have been designed with dual entries to cater for the different cohorts. The considered design balances freedom of movement and security control throughout the site.

To minimise the institutional feel of the facility, biophilic design principles are used through the project with views to borrowed landscape, the provision of natural light key, thermal and airflow variability, and provisions of spaces for personal withdrawal, all considerations in the design. The material palette and colour schemes chosen are based on the local geology, ecology and landscapes.