This project brings high quality, centralized medical and psychiatric care to Puerto Rico’s inmate population in a safe, secure and humane environment. To serve both its incarceration and medical functions, Urbahn’s design reconciles the conflicting demands of corrections and healthcare operations. The ground floor contains medical offices, inmate intake and holding, central security, and a full range of diagnostic and clinical departments. The second floor contains inpatient care with 100 beds arranged both dormitory style and in segregated cells, while the third floor houses an additional 100 beds devoted to inpatient psychiatric care.
The 3-story building’s massing, detailing and vividly colored stucco façade reflect Puerto Rico’s vernacular construction. Due to the building’s critical function and location within a hurricane zone, extensive measures were employed to ensure continuous operations, including flood resiliency design, redundant HVAC systems, and emergency power generation.